sear

Nae Campbell, a longtime customer, recalled how this "good woman" could be found vending year-round, whether in searing heat or Chicago's famously bitter cold.

Byrne’s searing portrayal of matriarchal duty at all costs is abrasive and uncomfortable.

"The horror of that dark day will be forever seared in the memories of us all," UN Secretary General António Guterres said.

The interactions are bracing but also a bit studied — the performers’ technique is more impressive than the story, which too often is merely a delivery device for misery disguised as searing truth.

These were classic symptoms of fear — or in my case, a searing crush on an amazing woman.