burn
verb /bɜːn/
/bɜːrn/
Verb Forms
Idioms Phrasal Verbs| present simple I / you / we / they burn | /bɜːn/ /bɜːrn/ |
| he / she / it burns | /bɜːnz/ /bɜːrnz/ |
| past simple burnt | /bɜːnt/ /bɜːrnt/ |
| past participle burnt | /bɜːnt/ /bɜːrnt/ |
| past simple burned | /bɜːnd/ /bɜːrnd/ |
| past participle burned | /bɜːnd/ /bɜːrnd/ |
| -ing form burning | /ˈbɜːnɪŋ/ /ˈbɜːrnɪŋ/ |
- [intransitive] to produce flames and heat
- A welcoming fire was burning in the fireplace.
- Fires were burning all over the city.
- A small candle burned brightly.
Extra Examples- Fresh leaves will burn slowly with billows of smoke.
- The fire was still burning fiercely.
- The flame in the oil lamp burned steadily.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- fiercely
- steadily
- slowly
- …
- burn out of control
- [intransitive] (used especially in the progressive tenses) to be on fire
- By nightfall the whole city was burning.
- The girl ran from the burning building.
- Two children were rescued from the burning car.
- They called us to tell us that my aunt's house was burning.
- The smell of burning rubber filled the air.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- fiercely
- steadily
- slowly
- …
- burn out of control
- [transitive, intransitive] to destroy, damage, injure or kill somebody/something by fire; to be destroyed, etc. by fire
- Six million acres have burned this year in the United States.
- The house burned to the ground.
- Ten people burned to death in the hotel fire.
- burn somebody/something to burn waste paper/dead leaves
- All his belongings were burnt in the fire.
- The house was burnt to the ground (= completely destroyed).
- The survivors burned the bodies of the victims of the plague.
- Several protesters burned American flags.
- The cigarette burned a hole in the carpet.
- Joan of Arc was burned at the stake.
- burn somebody/something + adj. His greatest fear is of being burnt alive.
- burn + adj. Many were left with no choice but to burn alive or leap to their deaths from the upper floors.
Extra Examples- Several people were burned to death.
- The building was burned to the ground.
- Bishop Tunstall preached a sermon against the book, after which copies were ceremonially burnt.
- She burned all his letters.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- badly
- seriously
- severely
- …
- be burned alive
- be burned at the stake
- be burned to ashes
- …
- [transitive, intransitive] if you burn a fuel, or a fuel burns, it produces heat, light or energy
- Which fuel burns most efficiently?
- burn something a furnace that burns gas/oil/coke
- (figurative) Some people burn calories (= use food to produce energy) faster than others.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- brightly
- [intransitive, transitive] if food burns, or if you burn it, it is damaged by too much heat
- I can smell something burning in the kitchen.
- burn something Sorry—I burnt the toast.
- [intransitive, transitive] to be damaged or injured by the sun, heat, acid, etc.; to damage or injure somebody/something in this way
- My skin burns easily (= in the sun).
- fair skin that burns easily
- burn somebody I got badly burned by the sun yesterday.
- burn something I burnt my tongue trying to eat a hot meat pie.
- The soup's hot. Don't burn your mouth.
- His face had been horrifically burnt by acid.
- burn yourself I burned myself on the stove.
Synonyms burnburn- char
- scald
- scorch
- singe
- burn to damage, injure, destroy or kill somebody/something with fire, heat or acid; to be damaged, etc. by fire, heat or acid:
- She burned all his letters.
- The house burned down in 1995.
- char [usually passive] to make something black by burning it; to become black by burning:
- The bodies had been charred beyond recognition.
- scald to burn part of your body with very hot liquid or steam.
- scorch to burn and slightly damage a surface by making it too hot:
- I scorched my dress when I was ironing it.
- singe to burn the surface of something slightly, usually by mistake; to be burnt in this way:
- He singed his hair as he tried to light his cigarette.
- to burn/scald yourself/your hand
- to burn/scorch/singe your hair/clothes
- burnt-out/charred/scorched remains/ruins/buildings
- [intransitive] if part of your body burns or is burning, it feels very hot and painful
- Your forehead's burning. Have you got a fever?
- Her cheeks burned with embarrassment.
Synonyms hurthurt- ache
- burn
- sting
- tingle
- itch
- throb
- hurt (of part of your body) to feel painful; (of an action) to cause pain:
- My feet hurt.
- Ouch! That hurt!
- ache to feel a continuous pain that is not severe:
- I’m aching all over.
- burn (of part of your body) to feel very hot and painful:
- Our eyes were burning from the chemicals in the air.
- sting to make somebody feel a sharp burning pain or uncomfortable feeling in part of their body; (of part of your body) to feel this pain:
- My eyes were stinging from the smoke.
- tingle (of part of your body) to feel as if a lot of small sharp points are pushing into the skin there:
- The cold air made her face tingle.
- itch to have an uncomfortable feeling on your skin that makes you want to scratch; to make your skin feel like this:
- I itch all over.
- Does the rash itch?
- throb (of part of your body) to feel pain as a series of regular beats:
- His head throbbed painfully.
- your eyes hurt/ache/burn/sting/itch
- your skin hurts/burns/stings/tingles/itches
- your flesh hurts/burns/stings/tingles
- your head hurts/aches/throbs
- your stomach hurts/aches
- to really hurt/ache/burn/sting/tingle/itch/throb
- to hurt/ache/sting/itch badly/a lot
- It hurts/stings/tingles/itches.
Extra Examples- Her skin seemed to burn at his touch.
- Our eyes were burning from the chemicals in the air.
- [intransitive] to produce light
- Lights were burning upstairs, but no one answered the door.
- hot sunshine burning through the windows
- Their torches burned brightly in the dark.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- brightly
- [intransitive, transitive] (literary) to feel or show a very strong emotion or desire
- Her eyes burned fiercely.
- burn with something to be burning with rage/ambition/love
- burn to do something He was burning to go climbing again.
Extra Examples- He was burning with indignation.
- She could sense the anger burning slowly inside him.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- fiercely
- slowly
- with
- [intransitive] + adv./prep. (informal) to move very fast in a particular direction
- The car was burning down the road.
- [transitive] burn somebody (North American English, informal) to make somebody very angry
- So you did it just to burn me?
- [transitive, intransitive] burn (something) (to something) to put information onto a CD or DVDTopics Computersc2
- [transitive, intransitive] (business, informal) to spend money
- burn something The project burns £2 million a year in contractor costs.
- burn through something The state has already burned through its cash reserves.
fire
fuel
food
sun/heat
of part of body
of a light
feel emotion/desire
go fast
make angry
CD, DVD
spend money
Word Originverb Old English birnan ‘be on fire’ and bærnan ‘consume by fire’, both from the same Germanic base; related to German brennen.
Idioms
burn your bridges
(British English also burn your boats)
- to do something that makes it impossible to return to the previous situation later
- Think carefully before you resign—you don't want to burn your bridges.
burn the candle at both ends
- to become very tired by trying to do too many things and going to bed late and getting up early
burn your fingers | get your fingers burnt
- to suffer as a result of doing something without realizing the possible bad results, especially in business
- He got his fingers badly burnt dabbling in the stock market.
burn a hole in your pocket
- if money burns a hole in your pocket, you want to spend it as soon as you have it
burn the midnight oil
- to study or work until late at night
burn rubber
- (informal) to drive very fastTopics Transport by car or lorryc2
burn (something) to a cinder/crisp
- to become completely burnt, especially because it has been cooked for too long
- By the time I got home, the cake was burnt to a cinder.
Extra Examples- The tower was struck by lightning and was burned to a cinder.
- I like my steak burnt to a cinder on the outside and blood red and juicy inside.
crash and burn
- (informal) to go wrong or to fail badly and suddenly
- His career crashed and burned after he threatened a journalist.
- The stock markets are getting ready to crash and burn.
- She continued to crash and burn through personal controversies that included driving drunk.
somebody’s ears are burning
- a person thinks that other people are talking about them, especially in an unkind way
- ‘I bumped into your ex-wife last night.’ ‘I thought I could feel my ears burning!’
have money to burn
- to have so much money that you do not have to be careful with it