v. To burn, sear, or freeze tissue using a hot iron, electric current or a caustic agent.
the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English
v. To burn or sear with a cautery or caustic.
v. To sear, as the conscience.
The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
To burn or sear with fire or a hot iron, or with caustics, as morbid flesh.
To sear, in a figurative sense.
WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
v. burn, sear, or freeze (tissue) using a hot iron or electric current or a caustic agent
v. make insensitive or callous; deaden feelings or morals
Word Usage
"Sources who tracked the investigation tell Newsmax that the main target of the breach was the Obama passport file, and that the contractor accessed the file in order to "cauterize" the records of potentially embarrassing information."