1burn 
/ˈbɚn/ verb
burns; burned /ˈbɚn/ verb /ˈbɚnd/ or burnt /ˈbɚnt/; burn·ing ◊The forms burned and burnt are used in both U.S. and British English. Burned is more common in U.S. English; burnt is more common in British English. 1 [no obj] a of a fire or flame : to give off heat, light, and gases
▪ A flame is kept constantly burning at the monument. ▪ A small fire burned brightly in the fireplace.
b always used in progressive tenses : to contain a fire
▪ There was a little stove burning in the front room. — see also burning 2 a always used in progressive tenses [no obj] : to be on fire : to have or produce a flame
▪ I could smell smoke and knew that something was burning. ▪ Be sure not to leave any candles burning when you go to bed.
b [+ obj] : to set (something) on fire : to make (something) have or produce a flame
▪ We came to the memorial to burn [=light] a candle for the victims of the accident. 3 a : to destroy or damage (something) by fire or heat [+ obj] ▪ I burned the letter when I had finished reading it. ▪ The new town law makes it illegal to burn trash. ▪ The wildfire has burned acres of forest. ▪ Parts of the house were badly burned in the fire. ▪ burnt pieces of wood [no obj] ▪ The wood burned slowly. ▪ a material that burns easily ◊A building or other structure that burns to the ground or is burned to the ground is completely destroyed by fire.
▪ The house (was) burned to the ground in the fire.
b : to injure or damage (someone or a part of the body) by fire, heat, acid, etc. [+ obj] ▪ He was badly burned in the accident. ▪ She burned her hand on the hot stove. = The hot stove burned her hand. ▪ The hot sun burned her skin. ▪ I burned myself on the iron. [=I injured part of my body with the hot iron] ▪ Several people were trapped in the building and were burned to death. [=were killed by fire] ▪ The captives were burned alive. [=killed by being set on fire] [no obj] ▪ She has to stay out of the sun because her skin burns easily. [=she gets sunburned easily] ▪ Several people burned to death in the fire. 4 : to ruin (food) by cooking it too long or with too much heat [+ obj] ▪ I'm afraid I burned the potatoes. ▪ She burned the toast. ▪ burnt toast [no obj] ▪ The toast burned. 5 a of an acid, chemical, etc. : to damage (something) by causing a strong chemical reaction [+ obj] ▪ The acid burned his hand. [no obj] ▪ The acid burned into/through the metal. — sometimes used figuratively ▪ Her words burned themselves into his memory. = Her words were burned into his memory. [=he always remembered her words] ▪ The image is burned in my mind. [=I cannot forget the image]
b [+ obj] : to produce (something, such as a hole) by fire, heat, acid, etc.
▪ He dropped his cigarette and accidentally burned a hole in the carpet. ▪ The acid burned a hole in the cloth. ◊If you have money and you want to spend it, the money is burning a hole in your pocket.
▪ He just got his tax refund and has some extra cash burning a hole in his pocket. 6 always used in progressive tenses [no obj] : to be very hot
▪ The pavement was burning. — see also burning 7 a : to have or produce an unpleasantly hot and painful feeling [+ obj] ▪ The hot peppers burned my mouth. ▪ The cigarette smoke burned my throat and made my eyes water. [no obj] ▪ My mouth is still burning from the hot peppers. ▪ The iodine burned a little when I put it on the cut.
b [no obj] : to feel a pain that is like being injured by heat or fire
▪ My nose was bright red and my ears were burning from the cold.
c always used in progressive tenses [no obj] : to have a high fever
▪ She was burning with fever. — often + up ▪ I'm going to call the doctor: you're burning up! — see also burn up (below), burning 8 [no obj] a : to feel a strong emotion — often + with ▪ She was burning with anger at his rudeness. [=she was very angry because of his rudeness] ▪ As a young man he burned with ambition. [=he was very ambitious] — sometimes + for ▪ She was burning for a chance to prove herself. [=she wanted very much to get a chance to prove herself] — sometimes followed by to + verb ▪ She was burning to prove herself.
b : to become hot and red because of a strong emotion
▪ Her cheeks were burning. — often + with ▪ Her cheeks were burning with shame. ▪ His face burned with anger/embarrassment. 9 [+ obj] US, informal a : to cheat or deceive (someone) : to take advantage of (someone) — usually used as (be) burned ▪ He doesn't like giving interviews because he's been/gotten burned by reporters in the past. [=reporters have treated him unfairly in the past] ▪ He's been burned in love before.
b : to make (someone) very angry
▪ It really burns me to see people being treated so badly. — usually + up ▪ His arrogance really burns me up! — see also burn up (below) 10 a [no obj] : to be used as fuel
▪ Some kinds of coal burn better than others.
b [+ obj] : to use (something) as fuel
▪ This furnace burns oil/gas. — often + up ▪ an engine that burns up more fuel
c [+ obj] : to use (food, calories, etc.) as a source of energy
▪ Our bodies burn food/calories. ▪ exercising to burn fat [=exercising to lose fat by using it to produce energy] — often + off or up ▪ exercising to burn off/up calories/fat ▪ Your body burns up more oxygen when you are active than when you are resting. — see also burn off (below), burn up (below) 11 [no obj] : to give off light : to shine or glow
▪ There was a light burning in the window. ▪ a star that burns brightly in the evening sky ▪ Lanterns burned in the boats on the canal. 12 [+ obj] computers : to record information or music on a disk
▪ burn a CD/DVD ▪ You can buy the songs online and then burn them onto a CD.
▪ A flame is kept constantly burning at the monument. ▪ A small fire burned brightly in the fireplace.
b always used in progressive tenses : to contain a fire
▪ There was a little stove burning in the front room. — see also burning
▪ I could smell smoke and knew that something was burning. ▪ Be sure not to leave any candles burning when you go to bed.
b [+ obj] : to set (something) on fire : to make (something) have or produce a flame
▪ We came to the memorial to burn [=light] a candle for the victims of the accident.
▪ The house (was) burned to the ground in the fire.
b : to injure or damage (someone or a part of the body) by fire, heat, acid, etc. [+ obj] ▪ He was badly burned in the accident. ▪ She burned her hand on the hot stove. = The hot stove burned her hand. ▪ The hot sun burned her skin. ▪ I burned myself on the iron. [=I injured part of my body with the hot iron] ▪ Several people were trapped in the building and were burned to death. [=were killed by fire] ▪ The captives were burned alive. [=killed by being set on fire] [no obj] ▪ She has to stay out of the sun because her skin burns easily. [=she gets sunburned easily] ▪ Several people burned to death in the fire.
b [+ obj] : to produce (something, such as a hole) by fire, heat, acid, etc.
▪ He dropped his cigarette and accidentally burned a hole in the carpet. ▪ The acid burned a hole in the cloth. ◊If you have money and you want to spend it, the money is burning a hole in your pocket.
▪ He just got his tax refund and has some extra cash burning a hole in his pocket.
▪ The pavement was burning. — see also burning
b [no obj] : to feel a pain that is like being injured by heat or fire
▪ My nose was bright red and my ears were burning from the cold.
c always used in progressive tenses [no obj] : to have a high fever
▪ She was burning with fever. — often + up ▪ I'm going to call the doctor: you're burning up! — see also burn up (below), burning
b : to become hot and red because of a strong emotion
▪ Her cheeks were burning. — often + with ▪ Her cheeks were burning with shame. ▪ His face burned with anger/embarrassment.
b : to make (someone) very angry
▪ It really burns me to see people being treated so badly. — usually + up ▪ His arrogance really burns me up! — see also burn up (below)
▪ Some kinds of coal burn better than others.
b [+ obj] : to use (something) as fuel
▪ This furnace burns oil/gas. — often + up ▪ an engine that burns up more fuel
c [+ obj] : to use (food, calories, etc.) as a source of energy
▪ Our bodies burn food/calories. ▪ exercising to burn fat [=exercising to lose fat by using it to produce energy] — often + off or up ▪ exercising to burn off/up calories/fat ▪ Your body burns up more oxygen when you are active than when you are resting. — see also burn off (below), burn up (below)
▪ There was a light burning in the window. ▪ a star that burns brightly in the evening sky ▪ Lanterns burned in the boats on the canal.
▪ burn a CD/DVD ▪ You can buy the songs online and then burn them onto a CD.
burn away [phrasal verb]
burn away or burn (something) away or burn away (something) : to be removed or to remove (something) by fire or heat
▪ The outer layer of wooden shingles burned away quickly in the fire. = The fire quickly burned the outer layer of wooden shingles away.
▪ The outer layer of wooden shingles burned away quickly in the fire. = The fire quickly burned the outer layer of wooden shingles away.
burn down [phrasal verb] 1 burn down or burn (something) down or burn down (something) of a building or other structure : to be destroyed or to destroy (something) by fire
▪ The hotel burned down [=burned to the ground] in 1922. = A fire in 1922 burned down the hotel. 2 burn down of a fire : to become smaller : to gradually produce less and less flame
▪ We watched the fire as it slowly burned down.
▪ The hotel burned down [=burned to the ground] in 1922. = A fire in 1922 burned down the hotel.
▪ We watched the fire as it slowly burned down.
burn off [phrasal verb]
burn off or burn (something) off or burn off (something) 1 US, of fog, smoke, etc. : to go away because of the sun's heat
▪ We waited for the fog to burn off. = We waited for the sun to burn off the fog. 2 : to be removed or to remove (something) by fire or heat
▪ The hot sun had burned the paint off the sign years before. — see also 1burn 10c (above)
▪ We waited for the fog to burn off. = We waited for the sun to burn off the fog.
▪ The hot sun had burned the paint off the sign years before. — see also 1burn 10c (above)
burn out [phrasal verb] 1 burn out or burn (itself) out of a fire : to stop burning
▪ The campfire eventually burned out. = The campfire eventually burned itself out. — sometimes used figuratively ▪ His anger finally burned itself out. [=he finally stopped being angry] 2 burn (a building) out or burn out (a building) : to destroy the inside of (a building) by fire
▪ The apartment building was completely burned out by the fire. — see also burned out 1 3 burn out or burn (something) out or burn out (something) : to stop working or cause (something) to stop working because of too much use or careless use
▪ The engine burned out. ▪ If you keep running the engine like that you're going to burn it out. 4 burn out or burn (someone) out also burn out (someone) : to become or cause (someone) to become very physically and emotionally tired after doing a difficult job for a long time : to suffer burnout or cause (someone) to suffer burnout
▪ Teaching can be very stressful, and many teachers eventually burn out. = Teaching can be very stressful, and many teachers eventually burn themselves out. ▪ All that hard work burned her out eventually. — see also burned out 2
▪ The campfire eventually burned out. = The campfire eventually burned itself out. — sometimes used figuratively ▪ His anger finally burned itself out. [=he finally stopped being angry]
▪ The apartment building was completely burned out by the fire. — see also burned out 1
▪ The engine burned out. ▪ If you keep running the engine like that you're going to burn it out.
▪ Teaching can be very stressful, and many teachers eventually burn out. = Teaching can be very stressful, and many teachers eventually burn themselves out. ▪ All that hard work burned her out eventually. — see also burned out 2
burn rubber — see 1rubber
burn the candle at both ends
: to do too much by being active late at night and during the day
▪ She's going to wear herself out if she keeps burning the candle at both ends.
▪ She's going to wear herself out if she keeps burning the candle at both ends.
burn the midnight oil
: to work or study until very late at night
▪ The students have been burning the midnight oil as they prepare for their final exams.
▪ The students have been burning the midnight oil as they prepare for their final exams.
burn through [phrasal verb]
burn through (something) informal : to use all of (something) quickly
▪ They've burned through 2 million dollars already, and the renovations are far from complete.
▪ They've burned through 2 million dollars already, and the renovations are far from complete.
burn up [phrasal verb]
burn up or burn (something) up or burn up (something) : to be destroyed or cause (something) to be destroyed by fire
▪ Most asteroids burn up upon entering the Earth's atmosphere. ▪ Wildfires have been raging across the region burning up acres of forest. — see also 1burn 7c, 9b, 10b, c (above)
▪ Most asteroids burn up upon entering the Earth's atmosphere. ▪ Wildfires have been raging across the region burning up acres of forest. — see also 1burn 7c, 9b, 10b, c (above)
burn your bridges also Brit burn your boats
: to do something that makes you unable to go back to a previous situation
▪ Even after leaving his job, he tried to stay on friendly terms with his former boss because he didn't want to burn his bridges.
▪ Even after leaving his job, he tried to stay on friendly terms with his former boss because he didn't want to burn his bridges.
crash and burn — see 1crash
money to burn — see money
— burn·able /ˈbɚnəbəl/ adjective [more burnable; most burnable]
▪ an easily burnable material
/ˈbɚnəbəl/ adjective [more burnable; most burnable] ▪ an easily burnable material
