online medical dictionary | definition of scald

A burn, or injury to the skin or flesh, by some hot liquid, or by steam.

One of the ancient Scandinavian poets and historiographers; a reciter and singer of heroic poems, etc, among the Norsemen; more rarely, a bard of any of the ancient Teutonic tribes.

Alternative forms: skald] "A war song such as was of yore chanted on the field of battle by the scalds of the yet heathen Saxons." (Sir W. Scott)

Origin: Icel. Skald.

1. Affected with the scab; scaby.

2. Scurry; paltry; as, scald rhymers.

<medicine> Scald crow, a name popularly given to several diseases of the scalp characterised by pustules (the dried discharge of which forms scales) and by falling out of the hair.

Origin: For scalled. See Scall.

(01 Mar 1998)