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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Singe \Singe\ (s[i^]nj), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Singed (s[i^]njd); p. pr. & vb. n. Singeing (s[i^]nj"[i^]ng).] [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. [1913 Webster] You sulphurous and thought-executing fires, . . . Singe my white head! --Shak. [1913 Webster] I singed the toes of an ape through a burning glass. --L'Estrange. [1913 Webster] 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. [1913 Webster]