| parch | 1. To burn the surface of; to scorch; to roast over the fire, as dry grain; as, to parch the skin; to parch corn. "Ye shall eat neither bread, nor parched corn." (Lev. Xxiii. 14) 2. To dry to extremity; to shrivel with heat; as, the mouth is parched from fever. "The ground below is parched." (Dryden) Origin: OE. Perchen to pierce, hence used of a piercing heat or cold, OF. Perchier, another form of percier, F. Percer. See Pierce. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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| parchment | 1. The skin of a lamb, sheep, goat, young calf, or other animal, prepared for writing on. See Vellum. "But here's a parchment with the seal of Caesar." (Shak) 2. The envelope of the coffee grains, inside the pulp. Parchment paper. See Papyrine. Origin: OE. Parchemin, perchemin, F. Parchemin, LL. Pergamenum, L. Pergamena, pergamina, fr. L. Pergamenus of or belonging to Pergamus an ancient city of Mysia in Asia Minor, where parchment was first used. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| parchment crackling | The sensation as of the crackling of stiff paper or parchment, noted on palpation of the skull in cases of craniotabes. (05 Mar 2000) |
| parchment heart | A congenital or acquired condition in which there is thinning of the right ventricular myocardium. Synonym: right ventricular hypoplasia. (05 Mar 2000) |
| parchment skin | Parchment-like appearance of the skin caused by loss of underlying connective and elastic tissue, or by the relatively rapid and persistent loss of water from the horny layer. (05 Mar 2000) |