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burn

[ burn ]

/ bɜrn /

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See synonyms for: burn / burned / burning / burnt on Thesaurus.com

verb (used without object), burned or burnt, burn·ing.

to undergo rapid combustion or consume fuel in such a way as to give off heat, gases, and, usually, light; be on fire: The fire burned in the grate.

(of a fireplace, furnace, etc.) to contain a fire.

to feel heat or a physiologically similar sensation; feel pain from or as if from a fire: The wound burned and throbbed.

to give off light or to glow brightly: The lights in the house burned all night.

to give off heat or be hot: The pavement burned in the noon sun.

to produce pain or a stinging sensation similar to that of fire; cause to smart: The whiskey burned in his throat.

to feel extreme anger: When she said I was rude, I really burned.

to feel strong emotion or passion: He burned with desire.

Chemistry.

to undergo combustion, either fast or slow; oxidize.
to undergo fission or fusion.

to become charred or overcooked by heat: The steak burned around the edges.

to receive a sunburn: She burns easily and has to stay in the shade.

to be punished or executed by fire: You'll burn in hell for that sin.

to be engraved by or as if by burning: His words burned into her heart.

Slang. to die in an electric chair: The murderer was sentenced to burn.

Games. to be extremely close to finding a concealed object or guessing an answer.

verb (used with object), burned or burnt, burn·ing.

to cause to undergo combustion or be consumed partly or wholly by fire.

to use as fuel or as a source of light: He burned coal to heat the house.

to cause to feel the sensation of heat.

to overcook or char: I almost burned the roast.

to sunburn.

to injure, endanger, or damage with or as if with fire: Look out, you'll burn yourself!

to execute by burning: The heretic was burned at the stake.

to subject to fire or treat with heat as a process of manufacturing.

to produce with or as if with fire: She burned a hole in her dress.

to cause sharp pain or a stinging sensation: The iodine burned his cut.

to consume rapidly, especially to squander:He burned energy as if he never heard of resting.

Slang. to suffer losses or be disillusioned in business or social relationships: She was burned by that phony stock deal.

Slang. to cheat or rob.

Slang. to insult in a way that is especially perceptive and therefore especially harsh and humiliating: You just got burned by a seven year old—the kid calls it as she sees it!

Digital Technology. to copy or write data to (an optical disk): She burned a CD of their favorite songs.Compare rip¹ (def. 4).

Chemistry. to cause to undergo combustion; oxidize.

Machinery. to damage through excessive friction, as in grinding or machining; scorch.

Metallurgy. to oxidize (a steel ingot), as with a flame.

British. to scald (a wine, especially sherry) in an iron container over a fire.

Cards. to put (a played or rejected card) face up at the bottom of the pack.

Slang. to disclose the identity of (an undercover agent, law officer, etc.): to burn a narcotics officer.

noun

a burned place or area: a burn where fire had ripped through the forest.

Pathology. an injury usually caused by heat but also by abnormal cold, chemicals, poison gas, electricity, or lightning, and characterized by a painful reddening and swelling of the epidermis (first-degree burn ), damage extending into the dermis, usually with blistering (second-degree burn ), or destruction of the epidermis and dermis extending into the deeper tissue with loss of pain receptors (third-degree burn ).

slow burn.

the process or an instance of burning or baking, as in brickmaking.

a forest or brush fire.

the firing of a rocket engine.

Usually the burn . a burning sensation felt in the muscles during intense exercise: Repeat the sit-ups till you feel the burn in your lower abs.

Slang. a swindle.

Slang. an especially harsh and humiliating insult or put-down, often delivered in the presence of others:Ooh, sick burn, bruh! His ego must need first aid after that burn.

Verb Phrases

burn down, to burn to the ground: That barn was struck by lightning and burned down.

burn in, Photography. (in printing) to expose (one part of an image) to more light by masking the other parts in order to darken and give greater detail to the unmasked area.Also print in. Compare dodge (def. 2).

burn off, (of morning mist) to be dissipated by the warmth of the rising sun.

burn on, to weld lead with lead.

burn one up, Informal. to incite to anger: That attitude burns me up.

burn out,

to cease functioning because something has been exhausted or burned up, as fuel or a filament: Our light bulbs burned out.
to deprive of a place to live, work, etc., by reason of fire: They were burned out and had to live with relatives.
to wear out; exhaust; be worn out; become exhausted.

burn up,

to burn completely or utterly: The papers burned up in a minute.
Informal. to become angry: He burns up at the mention of her name.

OTHER WORDS FOR burn

1 flame.

3 tingle, glow.

16 char, toast, brown, tan.

See synonyms for burn on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

WILL YOU SAIL OR STUMBLE ON THESE GRAMMAR QUESTIONS?

Smoothly step over to these common grammar mistakes that trip many people up. Good luck!

Question 1 of 7

Fill in the blank: I can’t figure out _____ gave me this gift.

who

whom

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Idioms about burn

burn one's bridges (behind one). bridge¹ (def. 27).

burn oneself out, to exhaust one's energy, ideas, etc., through overwork or intemperance: They feared that he would burn himself out or break down.

burn the midnight oil, to work, study, etc., until late at night: to burn the midnight oil before final exams.

burn the / one's candle at both ends, to be excessively active or immoderate, as by leading an active social life by night and a busy work life by day: You can't burn the candle at both ends and hold onto a job.

Origin of burn

First recorded before 900; Middle English bernen, brennen, Old English beornan (intransitive), (cognate with Gothic, Old High German brinnan ), and Old English bærnan (transitive), (cognate with Gothic brannjan, Old High German brennen )

synonym study for burn

16. Burn, scorch, sear, singe refer to the effect of fire or heat. To burn is to consume, wholly or in part, by contact with fire or excessive heat: to burn leaves. Scorch implies superficial or slight burning, resulting in a change of color or in injury to the texture because of shriveling or curling: to scorch a dress while ironing. Sear refers especially to the drying or hardening caused by heat: to sear a roast of meat. Singe applies especially to a superficial burning that takes off ends or projections: to singe hair; singe the pinfeathers from a chicken.

OTHER WORDS FROM burn

burn·a·ble, adjectivehalf-burned, adjectivenon·burn·a·ble, adjectiveun·burn·a·ble, adjective

un·burned, adjectivewell-burned, adjective

Words nearby burn

Burma Road, Burmese, Burmese cat, Burmese glass, Burmese jade, burn, Burnaby, burn at the stake, burn bag, burn center, burn down

Other definitions for burn (2 of 2)

burn²

[ burn ]

/ bɜrn /

noun Scot. and North England.

a brook or rivulet.

Also bourn, bourne.

Origin of burn

First recorded before 900; Middle English burn(e), bourn(e), Old English burna, burne “stream, brook”; cognate with Gothic brunna, Dutch born, bron, German Brunnen, Old Norse brunnr “spring, well”

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

MORE ABOUT BURN

What does burn mean?

To burn means to be on fire, as in Nomar burned all the wood in the campfire.

To burn literally means to consume fuel in a way that gives off heat, gases, and light, as with a fire, or to contain a fire, as a fireplace does.

Burn also has many figurative senses related to its literal sense. For example, if you feel pain from a wound, you might say it burns. Something that stings can also be said to burn. And something that gives off a glow, such as a lamp, also burns.

As well, if you’re very angry, you might say you’re burning. And if you have very strong feelings, either positive or negative, you might say you’re burning with those feelings.

Finally a burn is a burned place, such as where there was a fire, or an injury to your skin. A first-degree burn usually turns the skin red and causes swelling. A second-degree burn could include blisters, while a third-degree burn causes damage to the tissue beneath the skin.

Example: He cleaned up so many sticks from his backyard that he decided to burn them instead of taking them to the dumpster.

Where does burn come from?

The first records of the term burn come from before the year 900. It ultimately comes from the Old English beornan and bærnan.

Burn is also used in many phrases and contexts that really have nothing to do with burning. One meaning is “to be taken advantage of” or “to be beaten,” as in You got burned on that deal.

Burn has two past tenses. Both burned and burnt are acceptable spellings, but especially in North America, burnt is preferred for description, as in burnt toast.

Did you know … ?

What are some other forms related to burn?

burnable (adjective)
half-burned (adjective)
nonburnable (adjective)
unburnable (adjective)
well-burned (adjective)

What are some synonyms for burn?

What are some words that share a root or word element with burn?

What are some words that often get used in discussing burn?

How is burn used in real life?

Burn is a very common word used in relation to a physical fire as well as figurative senses.

The hardest thing in life is to know which bridge to cross and which to burn. ~ David Russell

— Priyanka Chaturvedi🇮🇳 (@priyankac19) July 13, 2020

our sweet memories over the smell of burning wood pic.twitter.com/k6OwVX013V

— 𝒇. (@momentsofence) October 31, 2021

All the stars in the universe will eventually burn out and the universe will be dark for the rest of time.

— UberFacts (@UberFacts) March 13, 2015

Try using burn!

Is burn used correctly in the following sentence?

At the end of the school year, Sean likes to burn all his school papers in a fire pit.

How to use burn in a sentence

Fuel spilled by a tanker burns in the Cuyahoga River on August 25th.
51 Years Later, the Cuyahoga River Burns Again|Wes Siler|August 28, 2020|Outside Online
There are just so many reasons not to pick up the drip torch and start a prescribed burn even though it’s the safe, smart thing to do.
They Know How to Prevent Megafires. Why Won’t Anybody Listen?|by Elizabeth Weil|August 28, 2020|ProPublica
Burn bosses in California can more easily be held liable than their peers in some other states if the wind comes up and their burn goes awry.
They Know How to Prevent Megafires. Why Won’t Anybody Listen?|by Elizabeth Weil|August 28, 2020|ProPublica
California, of course, uses aircraft—it has both its own fleet and can employ contractors—to mount full-court presses on fires, but the practice is certainly not limited to combating burns in the Golden State.
How aerial firefighters battle blazes from the skies|Rob Verger|August 27, 2020|Popular-Science

The battery, she alleged, exploded and left her with severe burns.
Amazon’s days of dodging liability for its marketplace could be numbered|Marc Bain|August 14, 2020|Quartz
Hatuey replied that he would rather burn and be sent to hell than ever again encounter people as cruel as the Spanish.
The Life and Hard Times Of The Family A Cuban Defector Left Behind|Brin-Jonathan Butler|December 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Are sociopathic animals in while sociopathic people burn in hell?
Sorry, Internet: Pope Francis Didn't Open Paradise to Pets|Candida Moss|December 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Related: Infographic: How Much Exercise It Takes to Burn Off Thanksgiving Dinner 6.
12 Thanksgiving Weight Loss Tips That Actually Work|DailyBurn|November 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Soon, though, voices from off camera begin shouting for retribution, not justice, chanting “Burn this b**** down.”
Michael Brown’s Stepfather Tells Crowd, ‘Burn This Bitch Down’|Jack Holmes, The Daily Beast Video|November 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In order to get the ghosts to glow, we had to do what was called a double burn.
Garfield Television: The Cat Who Saved Primetime Cartoons|Rich Goldstein|November 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Truth is a torch, but one of enormous size; so that we slink past it in rather a blinking fashion for fear it should burn us.
Pearls of Thought|Maturin M. Ballou
On the thirteenth of the same month they bound to the stake, in order to burn alive, a man who had two religious in his house.
The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898, Volume XX, 1621-1624|Various
He couldn't sell them; he couldn't burn them; he was even compelled to insure them, to his intense disgust.
The Pit Town Coronet, Volume I (of 3)|Charles James Wills
They used to declare that every unbaptised baby would go to Hell and burn for ever in fire and brimstone.
God and my Neighbour|Robert Blatchford
And it shall devour the mountains, and burn the wilderness, and consume all that is green as with fire.
The Bible, Douay-Rheims Version|Various

British Dictionary definitions for burn (1 of 2)

burn¹

/ (bɜːn) /

verb burns, burning, burnt or burned

to undergo or cause to undergo combustion

to destroy or be destroyed by fire

(tr) to damage, injure, or mark by heathe burnt his hand; she was burnt by the sun

to die or put to death by fireto burn at the stake

(intr) to be or feel hotmy forehead burns

to smart or cause to smartbrandy burns one's throat

(intr) to feel strong emotion, esp anger or passion

(tr) to use for the purposes of light, heat, or powerto burn coal

(tr) to form by or as if by fireto burn a hole

to char or become charredthe potatoes are burning in the saucepan

(tr) to brand or cauterize

(tr) to cut (metal) with an oxygen-rich flame

to produce by or subject to heat as part of a processto burn charcoal

(tr) to copy information onto (a CD-ROM)

astronomy to convert (a lighter element) to a heavier one by nuclear fusion in a starto burn hydrogen

cards, mainly British to discard or exchange (one or more useless cards)

(tr; usually passive) informal to cheat, esp financially

slang, mainly US to electrocute or be electrocuted

(tr) Australian slang to drive fast (esp in the phrase go for a burn)

burn one's bridges or burn one's boats to commit oneself to a particular course of action with no possibility of turning back

burn the candle at both ends See candle (def. 3)

burn one's fingers to suffer from having meddled or been rash

noun

an injury caused by exposure to heat, electrical, chemical, or radioactive agents. Burns are classified according to the depth of tissue affected: first-degree burn : skin surface painful and red; second-degree burn : blisters appear on the skin; third-degree burn : destruction of both epidermis and dermis

a mark, e.g. on wood, caused by burning

a controlled use of rocket propellant, esp for a course correction

a hot painful sensation in a muscle, experienced during vigorous exercisego for the burn!

Australian and NZ a controlled fire to clear an area of scrub

slang tobacco or a cigarette

Word Origin for burn

Old English beornan (intr), bærnan (tr); related to Old Norse brenna (tr or intr), Gothic brinnan (intr), Latin fervēre to boil, seethe

British Dictionary definitions for burn (2 of 2)

burn²

/ (bɜːn, Scottish bʌrn) /

noun

Scot and Northern English a small stream; brook

Word Origin for burn

Old English burna; related to Old Norse brunnr spring, Old High German brunno, Lithuanian briáutis to burst forth

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for burn

burn

[ bûrn ]

Verb

To be on fire; undergo combustion. A substance burns if it is heated up enough to react chemically with oxygen.

To cause a burn to a bodily tissue.

Noun

Tissue injury caused by fire, heat, radiation (such as sun exposure), electricity, or a caustic chemical agent. Burns are classified according to the degree of tissue damage, which can include redness, blisters, skin edema and loss of sensation. Bacterial infection is a serious and sometimes fatal complication of severe burns.

Other Idioms and Phrases with burn

burn

In addition to the idioms beginning with burn

burn at the stake
burn down
burned up
burn in effigy
burning question
burn into
burn off
burn one's bridges
burn oneself out
burn one's fingers
burn out
burn rubber
burn someone up
burn the candle at both ends
burn the midnight oil
burn to a cinder
burn up

also see:

crash and burn
ears are burning
fiddle while Rome burns
(burn) in effigy
money burns a hole in one's pocket
money to burn
slow burn

burn

OTHER WORDS FOR burn

Idioms about burn

Origin of burn

synonym study for burn

OTHER WORDS FROM burn

Words nearby burn

Other definitions for burn (2 of 2)

Origin of burn

MORE ABOUT BURN

What does burn mean?

Where does burn come from?

Did you know … ?

How is burn used in real life?

Try using burn!

Words related to burn

How to use burn in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for burn (1 of 2)

Word Origin for burn

British Dictionary definitions for burn (2 of 2)

Word Origin for burn

Scientific definitions for burn

Other Idioms and Phrases with burn