singe Look up singe at Dictionary.com
O.E. sengan "to burn lightly, burn the edges" (of hair, wings, etc.), from P.Gmc. *sangjanan (cf. O.Fris. of-sendza, M.Du. singhen, Du. zengen, Ger. sengen "to singe"). The root often is said to be related to that of sing, on the idea of some sort of sound produced by singeing.