Singe (sĭnj), v. t. [imp.
& p. p. Singed (sĭnjd); p. pr. & vb.
n. Singeing (sĭnj"ĭng).] [OE.
sengen, AS. sengan in besengan (akin to D.
zengen, G. sengen), originally, to cause to sing, fr.
AS. singan to sing, in allusion to the singing or
hissing sound often produced when a substance is singed, or slightly
burned. See Sing.] 1. To burn slightly or
superficially; to burn the surface of; to burn the ends or outside of;
as, to singe the hair or the skin.
You sulphurous and thought-executing fires, . . .
Singe my white head!
Shak.
I singed the toes of an ape through a burning
glass.
L'Estrange.
2. (a) To remove the nap of
(cloth), by passing it rapidly over a red-hot bar, or over a flame,
preliminary to dyeing it. (b) To remove the
hair or down from (a plucked chicken or the like) by passing it over a
flame.
Singe, n. A burning of the surface;
a slight burn.