Burned, singed, or darkened by intense heat or flames.
From 'be-' (prefix intensifying the meaning) + 'scorched' (from Old French 'escorchier,' to burn or parch). The 'be-' prefix transforms adjectives to emphasize a complete or thorough condition.
The 'be-' prefix in Middle English was used to intensify meanings—'besmirched' means really dirty, 'bescorched' means really burned, and 'befuddled' means thoroughly confused, all adding emphasis through a single syllable!
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