barn-burning

adjective

barn-burn·​ing
chiefly US, informal
: very energetic and impassioned
a barn-burning orator
barn-burning performances
: prolonged and exciting
… he thought the market would begin a barn-burning rally as the leading world economies showed signs of life.Robert Hurtado, New York Times, 18 June 1993
Canada sneaked past the United States 69–62 in a barn-burning semi-final that went to double overtime …Will Swanton, The Age (Melbourne, Australia), 16 Sept. 2008

Word History

First Known Use

1965, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of barn-burning was in 1965

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Dictionary Entries Near barn-burning

Cite this Entry

“Barn-burning.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/barn-burning. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

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