\Singe\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Singed}; p. pr. & vb. n.
{Singeing}.] [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.