sear

Meaning

Adj

Dry; withered, especially of vegetation.

Verb

1. (transitive) To char, scorch, or burn the surface of (something) with a hot instrument.
2. To wither; to dry up.
3. (figuratively, transitive) To make callous or insensible.
4. (figuratively, transitive) To mark permanently, as if by burning.

Noun

1. A scar produced by searing
2. Part of a gun that retards the hammer until the trigger is pulled.

Noun

Part of a gun that retards the hammer until the trigger is pulled.

Synonyms

scorch

burn

singe

parch

char

sere

withered

cauterize

toast

roast

blacken

be seared

strike out

dried-up

dry

wither

bake

faded

barbecue

shriveled

shrivelled

sting

kiln

languishing

limp

overprint

parched

put out

retire

scald

scathe

seduce

shrivel

smoke

tag

tingle

torch

torrefy

urticate

warm

☀️

wilted

wizen

combust

make hot

set afire

sunburn

sweal

4

heat thoroughly

wizened

Translations

brûler

chamuscar

bruciare

versengen

roussir

saisir

quemar

socarrimar

sec

abbronzare

anbraten

καίω

abrasar

carboniser

لفح

Pronounced as (IPA)

/sɪɚ/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: sere

Inherited from Old English: sēar

Cognate with Dutch: zoor

Cognate with Low German: soor

Cognate with German: sohr

Cognate with Norwegian: søyr

Cognate with Lithuanian: saũsas

Cognate with Ancient Greek: αὖος

Inherited from Middle English: seren

Inherited from Old English: sēarian

Cognate with Old High German: sōrēn

Cognate with French: serrer

In summary

From Middle English sere, seer, seere, from Old English sēar, sīere (“dry, sere, sear, withered, barren”), from Proto-West Germanic *sauʀ(ī), from Proto-Germanic *sauzaz (“dry”), from Proto-Indo-European *sh₂ews- (“dry, parched”) (also reconstructed as *h₂sews-).
Cognate with Dutch zoor (“dry, rough”), Low German soor (“dry”), German sohr (“parched, dried up”), dialectal Norwegian søyr (“the desiccation and death of a tree”), Lithuanian saũsas (“dry”), Ukrainian сухий (suxyj, “dry”), Polish suchy (“dry”), Homeric Ancient Greek αὖος (aûos, “dry”). Doublet of sere and sare.