Dictionary definition · sear
verb
- make very hot and dry"The heat scorched the countryside"
- become superficially burned"my eyebrows singed when I bent over the flames"
- burn slightly and superficially so as to affect color"The cook blackened the chicken breast"
- cause to wither or parch from exposure to heat"The sun parched the earth"
adjective
- (used especially of vegetation) having lost all moisture"dried-up grass"
Source: Open English WordNet (CC BY 4.0).