Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense burns, present participle burning, past tense, past participle burned, past tense, past participle burntlanguage note: The past tense and past participle is burned in American English, and burned or burnt in British English.
1. verb
If there is a fire or a flame somewhere, you say that there is a fire or flame burning there.
Fires were burning out of control in the center of the city. [VERB]
There was a fire burning in the large fireplace. [VERB]
The furnace has a design that allows the flame to burn at a lower temperature. [VERB]
2. verb
If something is burning, it is on fire.
When I arrived one of the vehicles was still burning. [VERB]
That boy was rescued from a burning house. [VERB-ing]
burninguncountable noun
When we arrived in our village there was a terrible smell of burning.
Synonyms: stinging, biting, smarting, painful More Synonyms of burn
Synonyms: crucial [informal], important, pressing, significant More Synonyms of burn
Synonyms: blazing, flaming, fiery, ignited More Synonyms of burn
3. verb
If you burn something, you destroy or damage it with fire.
Protesters set cars on fire and burned a building. [VERB noun]
Incineration plants should be built to burn household waste. [VERB noun]
Coal fell out of the fire, and burned the carpet. [VERB noun]
burninguncountable noun
...the burning of the great library at Alexandria. [+ of]
Synonyms: stinging, biting, smarting, painful More Synonyms of burn
Synonyms: crucial [informal], important, pressing, significant More Synonyms of burn
Synonyms: blazing, flaming, fiery, ignited More Synonyms of burn
4. verb
If you burn a fuel or if it burns, it is used to produce heat, light, or energy.
The power stations burn coal from the Ruhr region. [VERB noun]
Manufacturers are working with new fuels to find one that burns more cleanly thanpetrol. [VERB]
5. verb
If you burn something that you are cooking or if it burns, you spoil it by using too much heat or cooking it for too long.
I burnt the toast. [VERB noun]
Watch them carefully as they finish cooking because they can burn easily. [VERB]
Synonyms: scorch, toast, sear, char More Synonyms of burn
burntadjective
...the smell of burnt toast.
6. verb
If you burn part of your body, burnyourself, or are burnt, you are injured by fire or by something very hot.
Take care not to burn your fingers. [VERB noun]
If you are badly burnt, seek medical attention. [beVERB-ed]
[Also VERB pronoun-reflexive]
Burn is also a noun.
She suffered appalling burns to her back.
7. verb [usually passive]
If someone is burnt or burnt to death, they are killed by fire.
Women were burned as witches in the middle ages. [beVERB-ed + as]
At least 80 people were burnt to death when their bus caught fire. [beVERB-ed + to]
8. verb
If a light is burning, it is shining.
[literary]
The building was darkened except for a single light burning in a third-story window. [VERB]
Synonyms: shine, glow, beam, glare More Synonyms of burn
9. verb [usually cont]
If your face is burning, it is red because you are embarrassed or upset.
Liz's face was burning. [VERB]
Synonyms: blush, be red, flush, colour More Synonyms of burn
10. verb
If you are burningwith an emotion or are burningto do something, you feel that emotion or the desire to do that thing very strongly.
The young boy was burning with a fierce ambition. [VERB + with]
Dan burned to know what the reason could be. [VERB to-infinitive]
Synonyms: be passionate, blaze, be excited, be aroused More Synonyms of burn
11. verb
If you burn or get burned in the sun, the sun makes your skin become red and sore.
Build up your tan slowly and don't allow your skin to burn. [VERB]
Summer sun can burn fair skin in minutes. [VERB noun]
12. verb
If a part of your body burns or if something burns it, it has a painful, hot, or stinging feeling.
My eyes burn from staring at the needle. [VERB]
His face was burning with cold. [VERB + with]
...delicious Indian recipes which won't burn your throat. [VERB noun]
13. verb [usually passive]
If you are burned or get burned, you lose something as a result of taking a risk, usually in a business deal.
[informal]
They always took chances and got burned very badly in past years. [be/getV-ed]
14. verb
To burn a CD-ROM means to write or copy data onto it.
[computing]
You can use this software to burn custom compilations of your favorite tunes. [VERB noun]
15. See also burning
16. to burn the candle at both ends
17. to get your fingers burned
18. to burn something to the ground
19. to burn the midnight oil
20. to have money to burn
Phrasal verbs:
See burn down
See burn off
See burn out
See burn up
More Synonyms of burn
burn in British English1
(bɜːn)
verbWord forms: burns, burning, burnt or burned
1.
to undergo or cause to undergo combustion
2.
to destroy or be destroyed by fire
3. (transitive)
to damage, injure, or mark by heat
he burnt his hand
she was burnt by the sun
4.
to die or put to death by fire
to burn at the stake
5. (intransitive)
to be or feel hot
my forehead burns
6.
to smart or cause to smart
brandy burns one's throat
7. (intransitive)
to feel strong emotion, esp anger or passion
8. (transitive)
to use for the purposes of light, heat, or power
to burn coal
9. (transitive)
to form by or as if by fire
to burn a hole
10.
to char or become charred
the potatoes are burning in the saucepan
11. (transitive)
to brand or cauterize
12. (transitive)
to cut (metal) with an oxygen-rich flame
13.
to produce by or subject to heat as part of a process
to burn charcoal
14. (transitive)
to copy information onto (a CD-ROM)
15. astronomy
to convert (a lighter element) to a heavier one by nuclear fusion in a star
to burn hydrogen
16. cards, mainly British
to discard or exchange (one or more useless cards)
17. (tr; usually passive) informal
to cheat, esp financially
18. slang, mainly US
to electrocute or be electrocuted
19. (transitive) Australian slang
to drive (a vehicle) fast
20. burn one's bridges
21. burn the candle at both ends
22. burn one's fingers
noun
23.
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
24.
a mark, e.g. on wood, caused by burning
25.
a controlled use of rocket propellant, esp for a course correction
26.
a hot painful sensation in a muscle, experienced during vigorous exercise
go for the burn!
27. Australian and New Zealand
a controlled fire to clear an area of scrub
28. slang
tobacco or a cigarette
29. US slang
a sarcastic or cutting remark
Word origin
Old English beornan (intr), bærnan (tr); related to Old Norse brenna (tr or intr), Gothic brinnan (intr), Latin fervēre to boil, seethe
burn in British English2
(bɜːn, Scottish bʌrn)
noun
Scottish and Northern England
a small stream; brook
Word origin
Old English burna; related to Old Norse brunnr spring, Old High German brunno, Lithuanian briáutis to burst forth
burn in American English1
(bɜrn)
verb transitiveWord forms: burned or burnt, ˈburning
1.
to set on fire or subject to combustion, as in order to produce heat, light, or power
2.
to destroy by fire
3.
to put to death by fire
4.
to injure or damage by fire or something with the effect of fire, as intense heat, friction, or acid; scorch, singe, scald, etc.
5.
to consume as fuel
to burn much gasoline
6.
to transform (body fat, etc.) into energy by metabolism
7.
to sunburn
8.
to brand
9.
to cauterize
10.
to harden or glaze (bricks, pottery, etc.) by fire; fire
11.
to cause by fire, heat, etc.
to burn a hole in a coat
12.
to cause a sensation of heat in
the horseradish burns the throat
13.
to use (candles, lights, heaters, etc.)
14. Computing; Informal
to copy (data, a digital sound file, etc.) onto (a compact disc) by means of a laser
15. US, Slang
to electrocute
16. Slang
a.
to cheat, swindle, or rob
b.
to cause to suffer through misplaced trust or confidence
usually used in the passive
verb intransitive
17.
to be on fire; flame; blaze
18.
to undergo combustion
19.
to give out light or heat; shine; glow
20.
to be destroyed by fire or heat
21.
to be injured or damaged by or as by fire or heat; become scorched, singed, etc.
22.
to die by fire
23.
to feel hot
24.
to be excited or inflamed, as with desire, anger, etc.
25. US, Slang
to be electrocuted
noun
26.
an injury or damage caused by fire, heat, radiation, wind, caustics, etc.: in medicine,burns are classified as first-degree burn, reddening, second-degree burn, blistering, and third-degree burn, destruction of the skin and the tissues under it
27.
the process or result of burning, as in brick making
28. US
a single firing of a rocket or thruster on a space vehicle
Idioms:
burn down
burn in
burn out
burn up
to burn
SYNONYMY NOTE: burn1 is the broadest term in this comparison, denoting injury to any extent by fire, intenseheat, friction, acid, etc. [a burnt log, sunburned, windburned]; scorch, singe both imply superficial burning, , scorch emphasizing discoloration or damaging of texture [to scorch a shirt in ironing], and singe, the burning off, often intentional, of bristles, feathers, the ends of hair, etc.;, sear1 implies the burning of animal tissue and is applied specifically to the quick browningof the outside, as of roasts, in cooking to seal in the juices; , char1 implies a reduction by burning to charcoal or carbon. All of these terms have figurativeapplications [a burning desire, a scorching tirade, a singed reputation, a soul-searing experience, charred hopes]
Natural gas burns more cleanly than other fossil fuels.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
But hundreds of the scrolls had been too badly burnt to be readable.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
My toast was burnt this morning.
The Sun (2017)
Groups of young men huddled around fires, burning plastic and wood.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
Within a couple of hours, the bright round circle of the sun is again burning brightly.
Smithsonian Mag (2017)
Then it hits me: these are chemical burns from boat fuel.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Out she came and off she went, burning them off one by one until she had only the crowd for company.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The countercultural light may not burn as brightly as it did in 1966, but it burnsstill.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
They are emitted by burning coal and biomass and from building sites, industry, agriculture and vehicles.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
This means the body continues to burn calories after training is finished.
The Sun (2010)
The perfect round hole the cigarette burned seemed to sum it all up.
The Sun (2010)
It had burned light years before the game of baseball had been perceived.
Christianity Today (2000)
The weapons burn out if fired too often and you come under attack from all angles.
The Sun (2014)
Those with naturally blonde hair are more likely to burn in the sun.
The Sun (2013)
Other trees were burnt to clear the land for farming.
Divine, Robert A. (editor) & Breen, T. H & Frederickson, George M & Williams, R. Hal America Past and Present (1995)
Firefighters found an extremely burned piece of toast.
The Sun (2011)
Watch it carefully as it will burn easily.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
We could have gone into another room and returned to find this one burned to a crisp.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
We take no positive action to burn up the chemicals.
Mansfield, Patricia Why Am I Afraid to be Assertive? (1994)
Of course we burnt him with it.
The Sun (2016)
The singer had her foot wrapped in bandages after badly burning herself on a curling iron.
The Sun (2015)
When it had burned down to coals we raked them flat.
Aidan Hartley THE ZANZIBAR CHEST: A Memoir of Love and War (2003)
What is humankind but a knot of flames burning with nostalgia for the infinite?
Zindell, David The Broken God (1993)
There is also the risk of painful burns and scarring.
Sedgbeer, Sandra The A-Z of Beauty Treatment (1994)
They warned that the procedure could burn skin and may not be available in some hospitals.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
The gases can be caused by burning fossil fuels such as oil and coal.
The Sun (2009)
When you carbs it but you feed your body after exercise burns fat and builds muscle.
The Sun (2016)
You show them how to burn coal cleanly... and they say it will give us all cancer.
The Sun (2012)
In other languages
burn
British English: burn /bɜːn/ NOUN
A burn is an injury caused by fire or something very hot.
She suffered burns to her back.
American English: burn
Arabic: حَرْق
Brazilian Portuguese: queimadura
Chinese: 烧伤
Croatian: opeklina
Czech: popálenina
Danish: forbrænding
Dutch: brandwond
European Spanish: quemadura
Finnish: palovamma
French: brûlure
German: Brandwunde
Greek: κάψιμο
Italian: bruciatura
Japanese: 火傷
Korean: 화상
Norwegian: brannsår
Polish: oparzenie
European Portuguese: queimadura
Romanian: arsură
Russian: ожог
Latin American Spanish: quemadura
Swedish: brännsår
Thai: แผลไหม้
Turkish: yanık
Ukrainian: опік
Vietnamese: vết bỏng
British English: burn /bɜːn/ VERB
be on fire If something is burning, it is on fire.
The bonfire is still burning.
American English: burn
Arabic: يَحْرق
Brazilian Portuguese: queimar
Chinese: 烧
Croatian: gorjeti
Czech: hořet
Danish: brænde
Dutch: branden
European Spanish: arder
Finnish: polttaa
French: brûler
German: verbrennen
Greek: καίω
Italian: bruciare
Japanese: 燃やす
Korean: ...을 불태우다
Norwegian: brenne
Polish: oparzyć
European Portuguese: arder
Romanian: a arde
Russian: гореть
Latin American Spanish: quemar
Swedish: bränna
Thai: ไหม้ เผาไหม้
Turkish: yakmak ateşte
Ukrainian: горіти
Vietnamese: đốt cháy
British English: burn /bɜːn/ VERB
damage with fire If you burn something, you destroy it or damage it with fire.
He burned all the rubbish.
American English: burn
Arabic: يُحْرِقُ
Brazilian Portuguese: queimar
Chinese: 烧掉
Croatian: spaliti
Czech: spálitzničit ohněm
Danish: brænde
Dutch: verbranden
European Spanish: quemar
Finnish: polttaa
French: brûler
German: verbrennen
Greek: καίω
Italian: bruciare
Japanese: ・・・を燃やす
Korean: 태우다
Norwegian: brenne
Polish: palić
European Portuguese: queimar
Romanian: a arde
Russian: сжечь
Latin American Spanish: quemar
Swedish: bränna
Thai: เผา
Turkish: yakmak
Ukrainian: підпалювати
Vietnamese: đốt
British English: burn /bɜːn/ VERB
yourself If you burn yourself, you touch something that is hot and get hurt.
I burned myself on the hot iron.
American English: burn
Arabic: يَحْتَرِقُ
Brazilian Portuguese: queimar-se
Chinese: 烫伤
Croatian: opeći se
Czech: spálit seo plamen
Danish: brænde
Dutch: verbranden
European Spanish: quemarse
Finnish: polttaa
French: se brûler
German: sich verbrennen
Greek: καίγομαι
Italian: bruciarsi
Japanese: やけどをする
Korean: 불에 데다
Norwegian: brenne
Polish: oparzyć się
European Portuguese: queimar-se
Romanian: a se frige
Russian: обжечься
Latin American Spanish: quemarse
Swedish: bränna sig
Thai: ลวก
Turkish: yakmak
Ukrainian: отримати опік
Vietnamese: bị bỏng
All related terms of 'burn'
burn in
to darken (areas on a photographic print) by exposing them to light while masking other regions
burn-up
If something burns up or if fire burns it up , it is completely destroyed by fire or strong heat.
to burn
in excess
burn down
If a building burns down or if someone burns it down , it is completely destroyed by fire .
burn off
If someone burns off energy , they use it.
burn out
If a fire burns itself out , it stops burning because there is nothing left to burn .
burn rate
The burn rate of a startup company is a measure of how fast it uses up its capital before becoming profitable .
lean-burn
(esp of an internal-combustion engine) designed to use a lean mixture of fuel and air in order to reduce petrol consumption and exhaust emissions
rope burn
a burn on the skin caused by friction from a rope
slow burn
a steadily penetrating show of anger or contempt
flash burn
a burn caused by momentary exposure to intense radiant heat
powder burn
a superficial burn of the skin caused by a momentary intense explosion , esp of gunpowder
razor burn
soreness on the face caused by shaving
Chinese burn
a minor torture inflicted by twisting the skin of a person's wrist or arm in two different directions simultaneously
cigarette burn
a burn created by a cigarette
crash and burn
to suddenly fail badly as a result of extreme tiredness or a big mistake
money to burn
more money than one needs
slash and burn
Slash and burn is a method of farming that involves clearing land by destroying and burning all the trees and plants on it, farming there for a short time, and then moving on to clear a new piece of land.
burnout
If someone suffers burnout , they exhaust themselves at an early stage in their life or career because they have achieved too much too quickly.
burn one's boats
→ burn 1 (sense 19 )
burn one's bridges
If you burn your bridges , you do something which forces you to continue with a particular course of action, and makes it impossible for you to return to an earlier situation or relationship .
burn one's fingers
to suffer from having meddled or been rash
burn your boats
to do something which forces you to continue with a particular course of action, and makes it impossible for you to return to an earlier situation
do a slow burn
If someone does a slow burn , their angry feelings grow slowly but steadily.
first-degree burn
to undergo or cause to undergo combustion
lean-burn engine
an engine designed to use a lean mixture of fuel and air in order to reduce petrol consumption and exhaust emissions
second-degree burn
to undergo or cause to undergo combustion
third-degree burn
to undergo or cause to undergo combustion
have money to burn
to have more money than you need
burn the midnight oil
to stay awake very late at night in order to finish a piece of work
to have money to burn
If you say that someone has money to burn , you mean that they have more money than they need or that they spend their money on things that you think are unnecessary .
burn a hole in your pocket
if money is burning a hole in your pocket , you are very eager to spend it as soon as possible , especially on something you do not really need but would like to have
burn (or hang) in effigy
to burn (or hang ) an image of (a person) in public, as a way of protesting , as against that person's policies
to burn the midnight oil
If someone is burning the midnight oil , they are staying up very late in order to study or do some other work.
burn one's bridges (behind one)
to commit oneself to a course from which there is no retreat
burn the candle at both ends
to try to do too much, by regularly going to bed very late and getting up early in the morning
to get your fingers burned burn your fingers
If you get your fingers burned or burn your fingers , you suffer because something you did or were involved in was a failure or a mistake .
burn a hole in someone's pocket
If you say that some money is burning a hole in someone's pocket , you mean that they want to spend it as soon as possible.
to burn the candle at both ends
If you burn the candle at both ends , you try to do too many things in too short a period of time so that you have to stay up very late at night and get up very early in the morning to get them done.
to burn something to the ground raze sth to the ground
If you say that a town or building is burnt to the ground or is razed to the ground , you are emphasizing that it has been completely destroyed by fire .