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Verb: cauterize  'ko-tu,rIz
  1. Burn, sear, or freeze (tissue) using a hot iron or electric current or a caustic agent
    "The surgeon cauterized the wart";
    - cauterise [Brit], burn
     
  2. Make insensitive or callous; deaden feelings or morals
    "Years of hardship had cauterized his emotions";
    - callous, cauterise [Brit]

Derived forms: cauterized, cauterizes, cauterizing

Type of: burn, care for, enure, harden, indurate, inure, treat

Encyclopedia: Cauterize