Sear

v. i. To move hastily; to scour. [Obs. or Prov. Eng.] Halliwell.

v. t. [imp. & p. p. SEARED; p. pr. & vb. n. SEARING.] [A-S. searian, O. H. Ger. sōren, Fries. sōrjen, L. Ger. sōren, soren, O. D. sōren, to dry, L. Ger. sor, soor, O. D. sore, soore, N. D. zoor, dry, allied to Gr. ξηρός, dry, ξηραίνειν, to dry, parch.]

1Sense 1. To wither; to dry up. Shak.

2Sense 2. To burn to dryness and hardness the surface of; to cauterize; to expose to a degree of heat such as changes the color or hardness of the surface; to scorch; to make callous; as, to sear the skin or flesh.

I'm seared with burning steel. Rowe.

It was in vain that the amiable divine tried to give salutary pain to that seared conscience. Macaulay.

Sear is allied to scorch in signification; but it is applied primarily to animal flesh, and has special reference to the effect of heat in making the surface hard. Scorch is applied to flesh, cloth, or any other substance, and has no reference to the effect of hardness.

To sear up, to close by searing or cauterizing; to stop. Cherish veins of good humor, and sear up those of ill. Temple.

n. The catch in a gun-lock by which it is held cocked or half cocked.

Sear-spring, the spring by which the sear catches the cock.