SEAR

Pronunciation (US):

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IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does sear mean? 

• SEAR (adjective)
  The adjective SEAR has 1 sense:

1. (used especially of vegetation) having lost all moisture

  Familiarity information: SEAR used as an adjective is very rare.

• SEAR (verb)
  The verb SEAR has 4 senses:

1. make very hot and dry

2. become superficially burned

3. burn slightly and superficially so as to affect color

4. cause to wither or parch from exposure to heat

  Familiarity information: SEAR used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SEAR (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

(used especially of vegetation) having lost all moisture

Synonyms:

dried-up; sear; sere; shriveled; shrivelled; withered

Context example:

withered vines

Similar:

dry (free from liquid or moisture; lacking natural or normal moisture or depleted of water; or no longer wet)

Domain category:

botany; flora; vegetation (all the plant life in a particular region or period)

• SEAR (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they sear    ... he / she / it sears   
Past simple: seared   
Past participle: seared   
-ing form: searing   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Make very hot and dry

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

scorch; sear

Context example:

The heat scorched the countryside

Hypernyms (to "sear" is one way to...):

heat; heat up (make hot or hotter)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "sear"):

sizzle (burn or sear with a sizzling sound)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sense 2

Meaning:

Become superficially burned

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

scorch; sear; singe

Context example:

my eyebrows singed when I bent over the flames

Hypernyms (to "sear" is one way to...):

burn; combust (undergo combustion)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Sense 3

Meaning:

Burn slightly and superficially so as to affect color

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

blacken; char; scorch; sear

Context example:

the flames scorched the ceiling

Hypernyms (to "sear" is one way to...):

burn (damage by burning with heat, fire, or radiation)

Domain category:

cookery; cooking; preparation (the act of preparing something (as food) by the application of heat)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "sear"):

singe; swinge (burn superficially or lightly)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sense 4

Meaning:

Cause to wither or parch from exposure to heat

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

parch; sear

Context example:

The sun parched the earth

Hypernyms (to "sear" is one way to...):

dry; dry out (remove the moisture from and make dry)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something

 Context examples 

Though formed in the searing heat of a violent impact, such deposits might provide a delicate window into the possibility of past life on the Red Planet.

(NASA Spacecraft Detects Impact Glass on Surface of Mars, NASA)

As he had placed the Wafer on Mina's forehead, it had seared it—had burned into the flesh as though it had been a piece of white-hot metal.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

He opened his eyes to escape it, but the white light of the room seemed to sear the balls and forced him to close his eyes, when the "$3.85" confronted him again.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

It is easy for me to be so, for every event of that dreadful time is seared into my memory.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

A sensation of intensley hot or searing discomfort.

(Burning Pain, NCI Thesaurus)

"My seared vision! My crippled strength!" he murmured regretfully.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

It seemed to the young Englishman that he had never seen so hideous a face, for the eyes were of the lightest green, the nose was broken and driven inwards, while the whole countenance was seared and puckered with wounds.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

A large face, seared with a thousand wrinkles, burned yellow with the sun, and marked with every evil passion, was turned from one to the other of us, while his deep-set, bile-shot eyes, and his high, thin, fleshless nose, gave him somewhat the resemblance to a fierce old bird of prey.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)