burr
noun /bɜː(r)/
/bɜːr/
- [usually singular] a strong pronunciation of the ‘r’ sound, typical of some accents of (= ways of pronouncing) English; an accent with this type of pronunciation
- She speaks with a soft West Country burr.
- [usually singular] the soft regular noise made by parts of a machine moving quickly synonym whir
- (also bur)[countable] the seed container of some plants that sticks to clothes or furTopics Plants and treesc2
Word OriginMiddle English (in sense (3)): probably of Scandinavian origin and related to Danish burre ‘burr, burdock’, Swedish kard-borre ‘burdock’.