scathe

American  

[skeyth] / skeɪð /

verb (used with object)

scathed, scathing

1. to attack with severe criticism.

2. to hurt, harm, or injure, as by scorching.

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noun

1. hurt, harm, or injury.

scathe British  

/ skeɪð /

verb

1. rare to attack with severe criticism

2. archaic to injure

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noun

1. archaic harm

Other Word Forms

• scatheless
  adjective
• scathelessly
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of scathe

before 1000; (noun) Middle English scath ( e ), scade, schath ( e ) < Old Norse skathi damage, harm, cognate with Old English sc ( e ) atha malefactor, injury (with which the Middle English forms with sch- might be identified); (v.) Middle English scath ( e ), skath ( e ) < Old Norse skatha, cognate with Old English sceathian

Explanation

To scathe is to obliterate something as if you'd burned it to ashes — or to direct ferocious, fiery disapproval or anger in the direction of a person. The verb scathe is pretty old-fashioned; these days you're more likely to encounter the adjectives scathing and unscathed. The word derives from a root meaning "to harm or injure," and it was once used in both a literal and figurative way. Long ago, you might have scathed your old love letters by burning them in the fireplace, and then scathed your sister by telling her to get lost when she asked what you were doing.

Example Sentences

I suggest an ibid of historians, a ponder of scientists, a scathe of bureaucrats.

From Time Magazine Archive

This was not done without scathe, however; Brian's men loosed their muskets, and one by one the heavy bastards thundered out across the snow, though the result was hard to see in the darkness.

From Nuala O'Malley by Bedford-Jones, H.

A groom rode the racehorse, who took no scathe from his thundering gallop of the day before.

From The Story of John G. Paton Or Thirty Years Among South Sea Cannibals by Paton, James

All this the king thought right down scathe; so he sent out his eldest daughter, and the white bear took her upon his back and went off with her.

From Tales from the Fjeld A Second Series of Popular Tales by Asbj?rnsen, P. Chr.

Since that time, its scattered beams, refracted by broader surfaces, have, nevertheless, continued to scathe wherever they have fallen.

From Cotton is King, and Pro-Slavery Arguments Comprising the Writings of Hammond, Harper, Christy, Stringfellow, Hodge, Bledsoe, and Cartrwright on This Important Subject by Elliott, E. N.