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Webster 1913 Edition

(pärch′ĭng)

Adj.

Scorching; burning; drying.

“Summer’s parching heat.”

Shak.

–

Parch′ing-ly

adv.

ppr.

Scorching; drying to extremity.

a. Having the quality of burning or drying; as the parching heat of African sands.

parching ‎(comparative more parching, superlative most parching)

Capable of causing something to parch.
- 1892, James Yoxall, chapter 5, in The Lonely Pyramid:
  The desert storm was riding in its strength; the travellers lay beneath the mastery of the fell simoom. […] Drifts of yellow vapour, fiery, parching, stinging, filled the air.
(of thirst) Extreme.
- 1898, J. Meade Falkner, Moonfleet Chapter 4
  I began also to feel very hungry, as not having eaten for twenty-four hours; and worse than that, there was a parching thirst and dryness in my throat, and nothing with which to quench it.

parching