An Encylopedia Britannica Company

burn

1 burn /ˈbɚn/ verb
burns; burned /ˈbɚnd/ or burnt /ˈbɚnt/ ; burning
1 burn
/ˈbɚn/
verb
burns; burned /ˈbɚnd/ or burnt /ˈbɚnt/ ; burning
Britannica Dictionary definition of BURN
[no object]
◊ 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.
of a fire or flame : to give off heat, light, and gases
always used in progressive tenses : to contain a fire
see also burning
always used in progressive tenses, [no object] : to be on fire : to have or produce a flame
[+ object] : to set (something) on fire : to make (something) have or produce a flame
: to destroy or damage (something) by fire or heat
[+ object]
[no object]
◊ A building or other structure that burns to the ground or is burned to the ground is completely destroyed by fire.
: to injure or damage (someone or a part of the body) by fire, heat, etc.
[+ object]
[no object]
: to ruin (food) by cooking it too long or with too much heat
[+ object]
[no object]
of an acid, chemical, etc. : to damage (something) by causing a strong chemical reaction
[+ object]
[no object]
sometimes used figuratively
[+ object] : to produce (something, such as a hole) by fire, heat, acid, etc.
◊ If you have money and you want to spend it, the money is burning a hole in your pocket.
always used in progressive tenses, [no object] : to be very hot see also burning
: to have or produce an unpleasantly hot and painful feeling
[+ object]
[no object]
[no object] : to feel a pain that is like being injured by heat or fire
always used in progressive tenses, [no object] : to have a high fever often + up see also burn up (below), burning
[no object]
: to feel a strong emotion often + with
sometimes + for
sometimes followed by to + verb
: to become hot and red because of a strong emotion often + with
[+ object] US, informal
: to cheat or deceive (someone) : to take advantage of (someone) usually used as (be) burned
: to make (someone) very angry
usually + up see also burn up (below)
10 
[no object] : to be used as fuel
[+ object] : to use (something) as fuel often + up
[+ object] : to use (food, calories, etc.) as a source of energy
often + off or up
see also burn off (below), burn up (below)
11 
[no object] : to give off light : to shine or glow
12 
[+ object] computers : to record information or music on a disk

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

burn down

[phrasal verb]
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
burn down of a fire : to become smaller : to gradually produce less and less flame

burn off

[phrasal verb]
burn off or burn (something) off or burn off (something)
US, of fog, smoke, etc. : to go away because of the sun's heat
: to be removed or to remove (something) by fire or heat
see also 1burn 10c (above)

burn out

[phrasal verb]
burn out or burn (itself) out of a fire : to stop burning
sometimes used figuratively
burn (a building) out or burn out (a building) : to destroy the inside of (a building) by fire
see also burned out 1
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
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
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

burn the midnight oil

: to work or study until very late at night

burn through

[phrasal verb]
burn through (something) informal
: to use all of (something) quickly

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
see also 1burn 7c

burn your bridges

also British burn your boats
: to do something that makes you unable to go back to a previous situation

crash and burn

see 1crash

ears are burning

see 1ear

money to burn

see money

— burnable

/ˈbɚnəbəl/ adjective [more burnable; most burnable]
2 burn /ˈbɚn/ noun
plural burns
2 burn
/ˈbɚn/
noun
plural burns
Britannica Dictionary definition of BURN
[count]
: an injury caused by fire, heat, acid, etc.
: a burned area : a mark on the surface of something caused by a flame or fire
[count] : a painful red mark on the skin caused by rubbing against something
[singular] : a sharp, hot pain : a burning feeling

do a slow burn

US, informal
: to slowly become very angry