From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishscarscar1 /skɑː $ skɑːr/ ●●○ noun [countable] 1 mark on skinMI a permanent mark that is left on your skin after you have had a cut or wound He had a long, curved scar on his right cheek. a deep cut that could leave a permanent scar2 feelingMP a feeling of fear or sadness that remains with you for a long time after an unpleasant experience Her mental scars will take time to heal. The war has left a deep scar on this community.3 damaged areaMARK a place where the land or a building was damaged in the pastscar of The landscape still bears the scars of the war.4 cliff British EnglishSG a cliff on the side of a mountainCOLLOCATIONS – Meaning 1: a permanent mark that is left on your skin after you have had a cut or woundadjectivesa big/long scarFor the patients, keyhole surgery means no big scar.a small scarShe could see the small scar on his right cheek.a red/white scarShe still had the faint white scar on her ankle.a permanent scarIf the wound is not stitched, a permanent scar may result.an ugly/unsightly scar (=unattractive)The ugly scar spoiled and distorted his face.a disfiguring scar (=spoiling someone’s appearance)She was left with disfiguring scars.a puckered scar (=one where the skin has not healed flat)She pulled back her hair and showed me a puckered scar near her ear.a surgical scar (=caused by a medical operation)He had a large surgical scar on his back.a physical scar (=a scar on your body, contrasted with a mental scar )Those three months left her with lifelong physical and psychological scars.verbsleave a scarThe injury is deep and will leave quite a scar.have a scarHe had a small white scar under his left eye.bear a scar formal (=have it on your body)He still bore the scars of its teeth on his leg.a scar runs somewhereA scar ran from the corner of his eye to under his jawbone.scar + NOUNscar tissueHis hand was rough with scar tissue. COLLOCATIONS – Meaning 2: a feeling of fear or sadness that remains with you for a long time after an unpleasant experienceadjectivesa deep scarThe death of his mother left a deep scar on the young boy.a permanent scarThat affair left a permanent scar on my heart.psychological/mental/emotional scarsThe mental scars left by the accident are still with him.verbsleave a scar (=leave someone with feelings of fear or sadness)Psychologically, the attack has left a deep scar.carry/bear scars (=to suffer from feelings of fear or sadness )These children will carry their emotional scars with them for the rest of their lives.scars healThe mental scars will eventually heal.
Examples from the Corpus
scar• He had a scar across his forehead from hitting his head on the bottom of a swimming pool.• They say the wound's quite deep, and will probably leave a scar.• His facial scars radiating ridges pigmented with tar or carbon pictured some many-legged mutant spider.• The best way to get scars to fade is to leave them alone.• We hear also that Ahab had previously received his scar from lightning during such a storm.• This fossil bark is typified by its lozenge-shaped leaf scars arranged in spiral rows.• Doctors originally estimated Willie would miss six weeks to two months, and who knew what sort of psychological scars might linger?• You may be carrying the scars of lost battles and broken dreams.• The scars on his left cheek seeped a pale blood.• What scars deformed him, so that even you, who stand for him in the courtroom, are repulsed by him?leave ... scar• Trade embargoes, lifted now, prevented children from getting immunizations, and many are left with the scars of polio.• The Acid Era has left its scars on the man.• Although you have killed the White Spot parasites, they have left scars and marks, which are still irritating your fish.• Through the passing days, the biting cruelty of it all slowly healed, leaving only the scar tissue.• Fibrous tissue replaces this, the capillaries heal and contract down over a period of months to leave a linear scar.• Even the gradual assimilation of his disappointment would leave scars and blights, like a landscape after fire.• It was a really bad cut which would leave a thick scar.• But the deeper imprint of the central authority, and the harsher side to its reformist zeal, left scars.left ... scar• That affair left a permanent scar on my heart and I was afraid of reopening it.• Trade embargoes, lifted now, prevented children from getting immunizations, and many are left with the scars of polio.• The Acid Era has left its scars on the man.• Although you have killed the White Spot parasites, they have left scars and marks, which are still irritating your fish.• However, there was also another difference, a dogged inner voice insisted: Luke's kisses left scars.• Since now I was sure that his lower left leg had scars on it.• Apparently random violence in certain streets enlivened the working day - but sometimes left physical scars.• But the deeper imprint of the central authority, and the harsher side to its reformist zeal, left scars.bears the scars• The morning after, Jim Bob bears the scars of a sojourn in the moshpit.• This boat was used in an Indiana Jones film and still bears the scars.• His twice broken kneecap still bears the scars - for Lawrence today was the test he's been waiting for.scarscar2 verb (scarred, scarring) [transitive] 1 MIif a wound or cut scars you, it leaves a permanent mark on your body His hands were badly scarred by the fire. She will probably be scarred for life.2 MPif an unpleasant experience scars you, it leaves you with a feeling of sadness or fear that continues for a long time She was scarred by her father’s suicide.3 MIto spoil the appearance of something SYN deface quarries that scar the landscapeCOLLOCATIONSadverbsbe badly scarredHer legs were badly scarred from a car accident.be permanently scarredHis face had been permanently scarred by smallpox.be hideously scarred (=in a very unattractive way)The right side of her face was hideously scarred.be scarred for life (=get a permanent scar)A little girl has been scarred for life in a tragic playground accident.leave somebody scarredThe surgery left her face and neck scarred. → See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
scar• battle-scarred young men• The children who had suffered a trauma would survive the experience, scarred by it and a little flawed by it.• Older, richer, wiser and more scarred, Capt.• A lover dying of smallpox - Miss Phoebe was scarred from it.• The scandals have scarred Garcia's life.• The favorite of these visitors was a girl named Lily who had a badly scarred hand.• It scarred those forced to lean on it.• Her arm was scarred with cigarette burns.• Their faces scarred with dirt, their uniforms filthy, the miners look like refugees from another age.• The blue paint of the practice stalls was scarred with initials and hearts and anarchist signs among others.scarred for life• His friend will be scarred for life.• Meanwhile, Steve's coming to terms with being scarred for life.• She'd be scarred for life.• Children are particularly at risk, and can be scarred for life from a serious encounter.Origin scar1 (1300-1400) Old French escare, from Late Latin eschara, from Greek 