Definition of burn
(Entry 1 of 3)
1a
: to consume fuel and give off heat, light, and gases
a small fire burns on the hearth
b
: to undergo combustion
also
: to undergo nuclear fission or nuclear fusion
c
: to contain a fire
a little stove burning in the corner
2a
: to be hot
the burning sand
b
: to produce or undergo discomfort or pain
ears burning from the cold
c
: to become emotionally excited or agitated: such as
(1)
: to yearn ardently
burning to tell the story
(2)
: to be or become very angry or disgusted
the remark made him burn
3a
: to undergo alteration or destruction by the action of fire or heat
the house burned down the potatoes burned to a crisp
b
: to die in the electric chair
4
: to force or make a way by or as if by burning
her words burned into his heart
5
: to suffer sunburn
she burns easily
1a
: to cause to undergo combustion
especially
: to destroy by fire
burned the trash
b
: to use as fuel
this furnace burns gas
c
: to use up : consume
burn calories
2a
: to transform by exposure to heat or fire
burn clay to bricks
b
: to produce by burning
burned a hole in his sleeve
c
: to record digital data or music on (an optical disk) using a laser
burn a CD
also
: to record (data or music) in this way
burn songs onto a disk
3a
: to injure or damage by or as if by exposure to fire, heat, or radiation : scorch
burned his hand
b
: to execute by burning
burned heretics at the stake
also
: electrocute
burn one's bridges
or less commonly burn one's boats
burn one's ears
burn the candle at both ends
burn the midnight oil
: to cut off all means of retreat
: to rebuke strongly
: to use one's resources or energies to excess
: to work or study far into the night
burn
noun (1)
plural burns
Definition of burn (Entry 2 of 3)
1
: an act, process, instance, or result of burning: such as
a
: injury or damage resulting from exposure to fire, heat, caustics, electricity, or certain radiations
b
: a burned area
a burn on the tabletop
c
: an abrasion (as of the skin) having the appearance of a burn
rope burns
d
: a burning sensation
the burn of iodine on a cut
2
: the firing of a rocket engine in flight
4
slang
: a cutting remark intended to embarrass or humiliate someone
—used chiefly in the phrase sick burn But plenty of us peasants know the feeling: We have stared down an unraveling romantic relationship and wanted desperately to spew one more sick burn or two about a now-former partner.— Alana MasseyDuring a lecture on conservatism at an Ivy League university, a 65-year-old guest speaker delivered a sick burn to the president of the United States.— Amanda Arnold
burn
noun (2)Definition of burn (Entry 3 of 3)
British
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Time Traveler for burn
The first known use of burn was before the 12th century
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