means Burning or scorching with intense heat, often describing the quick application of high temperature to a surface or, figuratively, anything sharp and painful enough to leave a mark.

from From Old English 'sēarian,' to dry up or wither, rooted in 'sēar' meaning dry or withered — the same ancestor that gives us 'sere,' the brown brittleness of dead leaves. The thread running through it all is heat that drains the moisture out of things, whether that's a wilting plant or a slab of meat hitting a screaming pan.