Scald means to burn your skin by touching hot water or steam. It happens when something very hot touches your skin and causes pain or injury.
Be careful not to scald yourself with tea.
She scalded her hand with hot water.
Scald also means to warm a liquid until it is almost boiling but not actually boiling. People often do this to kill germs or make a drink.
Scald the milk before adding it to tea.
She scalded water for the baby's bottle.
Scald can mean to speak to someone in an angry or sharp way, like scolding. This use is old or found in some dialects and is less common now.
The teacher scalded the student for being late.
He was scalded by his mother for the mistake.
In textile work, scald means to treat clothes or fabric with very hot water to clean or prepare it. This helps remove dirt or oils before using the material.
The wool was scalded to prepare it for dyeing.
They scald the fabric before making clothes.
In brewing, scald means heating grains with hot water to stop enzymes working. This controls the brewing process.
The malt was scalded to stop fermentation.
Scalding stops enzymes in the barley.
