What is to burn or be burnt. he laid his long forefinger on the scarlet letter, which forthwith seemed to scoch into Hester's breast, as if it had been red hot. Hawthorne called?

scorch — To burn or be burnt. he laid his long forefinger on the scarlet letter, which forthwith seemed to scoch into Hester's breast, as if it had been red hot. Hawthorne. (Webster's 1913.)