searing

Everyday

1. Searing means extremely hot, hot enough to burn: searing heat. tree →
2. Searing pain is sudden, sharp and very strong. tree →
3. Searing words or criticism are very harsh and strong. tree →
4. As a verb, searing means cooking the outside of meat quickly at a very high heat, or burning a surface. tree →

In the lessons

Weather and geography: «searing heat» in a desert or an Australian summer. Cooking: chefs sear meat in a very hot pan to brown it. In stories, «a searing pain» shows an injury is serious, and «a searing look» shows anger. Safety: searing heat can cause burns and heatstroke, so stay in the shade and drink water.

Examples

• The desert sun was searing at midday. tree →
• She felt a searing pain when she touched the hot pan. tree →
• The chef is searing the steak on both sides. tree →
• Bushfires bring searing winds in Australia. tree →
• The coach gave a searing speech after the loss. tree →
• Searing temperatures closed the beach. tree →
• The metal was searing hot after hours in the sun. tree →

Note

Spelling: sear + ing, from «sear» (to burn the surface). Do not confuse with «seeing» or «sharing». Homophone trap: «sear» sounds like «seer» (a person who sees the future) and «sere» (dry). Mostly used for strong things; «searing cold» is rare.