singe
gb/sˈɪnd͡ʒ/ us/sˈɪnd͡ʒ/
B2
English
megperzsel, megtépáz, égésnyom
VERB
B2
1
megperzsel
B2
Usage pattern:
singe [something]
I singed the tablecloth when the candle tipped over.
Megperzseltem az abroszt, amikor felborult a gyertya.
Be careful not to singe the paper when you use the lighter.
Vigyázz, nehogy megperzseld a papírt, amikor öngyújtót használsz.
The toast was slightly singed around the edges.
Learner examples
I singed my shirt with a hot pan.
Egy forró serpenyővel megperzseltem az ingemet.
The bread is singed.
A kenyér megperzselődött.
Common mistake:
Do not confuse singe with sing. The past tense is singed (pronounced /sɪndʒd/).
Meaning
burn lightly on the surface
Collocations
singe the edges
|singe the surface
|singe the fabric
|singe paper
|singe the crust
|singe a towel
|singe a curtain
|slightly singed
|badly singed
|get singed
Synonyms
scorch (Often suggests stronger heat marks than singe.)
|
burn (More general; singe implies only slight burning.)
Antonyms
extinguish (To stop burning rather than cause burning.)
|
cool (To reduce heat, the opposite condition of burning.)
Themes
daily_life
|food
|home
|safety
Definition
To burn something a little.
To burn something slightly, usually just on the surface or at the edges, without setting it on fire.
VERB
B2
2
megperzsel
B2
Usage pattern:
singe [someone]'s hair/eyebrows/eyelashes | singe [something]'s feathers/fur
He leaned too close to the grill and singed his eyebrows.
Túl közel hajolt a grillhez, és megperzselte a szemöldökét.
The candle flame singed the ends of her hair.
A gyertyaláng megperzselte a haja végét.
The heat from the fire singed the bird’s feathers.
Learner examples
The fire singed his hair.
A tűz megperzselte a haját.
I singed my eyebrows.
Megperzseltem a szemöldökömet.
Common mistake:
Learners may overuse burn; singe is especially common with hair, eyebrows, eyelashes, and feathers.
Meaning
burn hair or feathers slightly
Collocations
singe your eyebrows
|singe your eyelashes
|singe your hair
|singe the ends of your hair
|singe feathers
|singe fur
|get your hair singed
|accidentally singe
|nearly singe
|singe at the tips
Synonyms
scorch (Can imply more visible damage than singe.)
Antonyms
trim (To cut hair rather than burn it.)
Themes
daily_life
|animals
|body
|safety
Definition
To burn hair or feathers a little.
To burn the hair, feathers, or fur of someone or something slightly, often accidentally, so it smells burnt or looks damaged.
VERB
C1
3
megtépáz
C1
Usage pattern:
singe [someone]'s reputation/confidence | singe [something] (e.g., an image, a relationship)
The controversy singed his reputation but didn’t end his career.
A botrány megtépázta a hírnevét, de nem vetett véget a karrierjének.
A few mistakes in the interview singed her confidence.
Néhány hiba az interjún megtépázta az önbizalmát.
The data leak singed the company’s image with customers.
Learner examples
The scandal singed his reputation.
A botrány megtépázta a hírnevét.
Common mistake:
This is a metaphor from fire; it usually suggests minor but noticeable damage, not total destruction.
Meaning
slightly harm or damage (figurative)
Collocations
singe a reputation
|singe your image
|singe investor confidence
|singe a relationship
|slightly singe
|badly singe
|politically singed
|singed by scandal
Synonyms
tarnish (Specifically about making a reputation seem less good.)
|
damage (More general and less metaphorical.)
Antonyms
enhance (To improve rather than harm.)
|
restore (To bring back to a better condition after damage.)
Themes
business
|emotions
|social
|media
Definition
To damage something a little (like a reputation).
To cause slight harm to something abstract, such as a reputation, confidence, or relationship, without completely ruining it.
NOUN
C1
4
égésnyom
B1
Usage pattern:
a singe (on [something])
There was a singe on the curtain where the heater touched it.
Volt egy égésnyom a függönyön ott, ahol hozzáért a fűtőtest.
The jacket had a singe near the cuff from the bonfire.
A kabáton volt egy égésnyom a mandzsetta közelében a tábortűztől.
I noticed a singe on the page after the candle sputtered.
Learner examples
There is a singe on my shirt.
Van egy égésnyom az ingemen.
Common mistake:
This noun use is less common than the verb; learners often use burn mark instead.
Meaning
a slight burn mark
Collocations
a singe on the fabric
|a singe on the sleeve
|a slight singe
|a small singe
|leave a singe
Synonyms
scorch mark (More explicit about a visible mark.)
|
burn mark (More general and common.)
Themes
daily_life
|home
|safety
Definition
A small burn mark.
A slight burn or scorched area caused by brief contact with heat or flame.
Grammar
Dictionary form
singe
IPA
GB/sˈɪnd͡ʒ/
US/sˈɪnd͡ʒ/
Syllables & stress
singe (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (singe)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: singe
- Plural: singes
Verb
- Base: singe
- 3rd Person Singular: singes
- Present Participle: singeing
- Past: singed
- Past Participle: singed
Expressions
get/have your fingers singed
1/d͡ʒˈɛʃhˈeɪv jˈʊɹ fˈɪŋɡɚz sˈɪnd͡ʒd/
idiom
suffer for taking a risk
To get hurt because you took a risk.
Examples
- A few investors got their fingers singed when the stock dropped.
- He had his fingers singed once before, so he’s cautious now.
- If you keep lending him money, you’ll get your fingers singed.
singe off
1/sˈɪnd͡ʒ ˈɔf/
phrasal verb
burn off hair or edges
To burn something so it comes off.
Examples
- The flame singed off a bit of hair from his arm.
- You can use a blowtorch to singe off the stray feathers.
- The heat singed the plastic off the wire.
Learner examples
- The fire singed his hair off.
singe someone's eyebrows
1/sˈɪnd͡ʒ sˈʌmwˌʌnz ˈaɪbɹˌaʊz/
fixed phrase
burn or nearly burn eyebrows
To burn (or almost burn) someone’s eyebrows.
Examples
- Stand back—you’ll singe your eyebrows if you lean in like that.
- He opened the oven too fast and nearly singed his eyebrows.
- The fireworks shot up so close they could have singed our eyebrows.
Learner examples
- Be careful, or you will singe your eyebrows.