Burn

• POS: Noun, Verb (usu participle), Verb (intransitive), Verb (transitive)

CIDE DICTIONARY

Burn, v. t. [OE. bernen, brennen, v. t., early confused with beornen, birnen, v. i., AS. bærnan, bernan, v. t., birnan, v. i.; akin to OS. brinnan, OFries. barna, berna, OHG. brinnan, brennan, G. brennen, OD. bernen, D. branden, Dan. brænde, Sw. bränna, brinna, Icel. brenna, Goth. brinnan, brannjan (in comp.), and possibly to E. fervent.].

•  To consume with fire; to reduce to ashes by the action of heat or fire; -- frequently intensified by up: as, to burn up wood.  Shak.  [1913 Webster]
•  To injure by fire or heat; to change destructively some property or properties of, by undue exposure to fire or heat; to scorch; to scald; to blister; to singe; to char; to sear; as, to burn steel in forging; to burn one's face in the sun; the sun burns the grass.  [1913 Webster]
•  To perfect or improve by fire or heat; to submit to the action of fire or heat for some economic purpose; to destroy or change some property or properties of, by exposure to fire or heat in due degree for obtaining a desired residuum, product, or effect; to bake; as, to burn clay in making bricks or pottery; to burn wood so as to produce charcoal; to burn limestone for the lime.  [1913 Webster]
•  To make or produce, as an effect or result, by the application of fire or heat; as, to burn a hole; to burn charcoal; to burn letters into a block.  [1913 Webster]
•  To consume, injure, or change the condition of, as if by action of fire or heat; to affect as fire or heat does; as, to burn the mouth with pepper.  [1913 Webster]

  "This tyrant fever burns me up."  [1913 Webster]

  "This dry sorrow burns up all my tears."  [1913 Webster]

  "When the cold north wind bloweth, . . . it devoureth the mountains, and burneth the wilderness, and consumeth the "  [1913 Webster]
•  To apply a cautery to; to cauterize.  [1913 Webster]
•  To cause to combine with oxygen or other active agent, with evolution of heat; to consume; to oxidize; as, a man burns a certain amount of carbon at each respiration; to burn iron in oxygen.  [1913 Webster]

To burn, To burn together, as two surfaces of metal (Engin.), to fuse and unite them by pouring over them a quantity of the same metal in a liquid state. -- To burn a bowl (Game of Bowls), to displace it accidentally, the bowl so displaced being said to be burned. -- To burn daylight, to light candles before it is dark; to waste time; to perform superfluous actions. Shak. -- To burn one's fingers, to get one's self into unexpected trouble, as by interfering the concerns of others, speculation, etc. -- To burn out, (a) to destroy or obliterate by burning. “Must you with hot irons burn out mine eyes?” Shak. (b) to force (people) to flee by burning their homes or places of business; as, the rioters burned out the Chinese businessmen. -- To be burned out, to suffer loss by fire, as the burning of one's house, store, or shop, with the contents. -- To burn up, To burn down, to burn entirely.

Burn, v. i. 

•  To be of fire; to flame.  Deut. ix. 15.  [1913 Webster]
•  To suffer from, or be scorched by, an excess of heat.  [1913 Webster]

  "Your meat doth burn, quoth I."  [1913 Webster]
•  To have a condition, quality, appearance, sensation, or emotion, as if on fire or excessively heated; to act or rage with destructive violence; to be in a state of lively emotion or strong desire; as, the face burns; to burn with fever.  [1913 Webster]

  "Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way?"  [1913 Webster]

  "The barge she sat in, like a burnished throne,
  Burned on the water."  [1913 Webster]

  "Burning with high hope."  [1913 Webster]

  "The groan still deepens, and the combat burns."  [1913 Webster]

  "The parching air
  Burns frore, and cold performs the effect of fire."  [1913 Webster]
•  To combine energetically, with evolution of heat; as, copper burns in chlorine.  [1913 Webster]
•  In certain games, to approach near to a concealed object which is sought.  [1913 Webster]

To burn up, To burn down, to be entirely consumed.

Burn, n. 

•  A hurt, injury, or effect caused by fire or excessive or intense heat.  [1913 Webster]
•  The operation or result of burning or baking, as in brickmaking; as, they have a good burn.  [1913 Webster]
•  A disease in vegetables. See Brand, n., 6.  [1913 Webster]

Burn, n. [See 1st Bourn.].

 A small stream.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Burn, v. & n.
--v. (past and past part. burnt or burned)
1 tr. & intr. be or cause to be consumed or destroyed by fire.
2 intr. a blaze or glow with fire. b be in the state characteristic of fire.
3 tr. & intr. be or cause to be injured or damaged by fire or great heat or by radiation.
4 tr. & intr. use or be used as a source of heat, light, or other energy.
5 tr. & intr. char or scorch in cooking (burned the vegetables; the vegetables are burning).
6 tr. produce (a hole, a mark, etc.) by fire or heat.
7 tr. a subject (clay, chalk, etc.) to heat for a purpose. b harden (bricks) by fire. c make (lime or charcoal) by heat.
8 tr. colour, tan, or parch with heat or light (we were burnt brown by the sun).
9 tr. & intr. put or be put to death by fire.
10 tr. a cauterize, brand. b (foll. by in) imprint by burning.
11 tr. & intr. make or be hot, give or feel a sensation or pain of or like heat.
12 tr. & intr. (often foll. by with) make or be passionate; feel or cause to feel great emotion (burn with shame).
13 intr. sl. drive fast.
14 tr. US sl. anger, infuriate.
15 intr. (foll. by into) (of acid etc.) gradually penetrate (into) causing disintegration.
--n.
1 a mark or injury caused by burning.
2 the ignition of a rocket engine in flight, giving extra thrust.
3 US, Austral., & NZ a forest area cleared by burning.
4 sl. a cigarette.
5 sl. a car race.

Idiom

burn one's boats (or bridges) commit oneself irrevocably. burn the candle at both ends exhaust one's strength or resources by undertaking too much. burn down
1 a destroy (a building) by burning. b (of a building) be destroyed by fire.
2 burn less vigorously as fuel fails. burn one's fingers suffer for meddling or rashness. burn a hole in one's pocket (of money) be quickly spent. burning-glass a lens for concentrating the sun's rays on an object to burn it. burn low (of fire) be nearly out. burn the midnight oil read or work late into the night.
burn out
1 be reduced to nothing by burning.
2 fail or cause to fail by burning.
3 (usu. refl.) esp. US suffer physical or emotional exhaustion.
4 consume the contents of by burning.
5 make (a person) homeless by burning his or her house. burn-out n.
US
1 physical or emotional exhaustion, esp. caused by stress.
2 depression, disillusionment. burnt ochre (or sienna or umber) a pigment darkened by burning.
burnt offering
1 an offering burnt on an altar as a sacrifice.
2 joc. overcooked food. burnt-out physically or emotionally exhausted.
burn up
1 get rid of by fire.
2 begin to blaze.
3 US sl. be or make furious. have money to burn have more money than one needs.

Burn, n. Sc. a small stream.

Etymology

OE burna etc. f. Gmc

THESAURUS

Burn

Earth insertion, LEM, LM, abrade, abrasion, adolescent stream, afflict, agonize, ail, air-dry, altitude peak, anhydrate, apogee, arroyo, assault, attack, attitude-control rocket, automatic control, bake, ballistic capsule, bank, barbarize, bark, batter, be bright, be in heat, be livid, be pissed, be warm, beacon, beam, beat, beat down, beck, bedazzle, beguile of, behead, bilk, bite, blacken, blast-off, blaze, blaze up, blemish, blind, blister, bloody, bloom, blot, blow down, blow up, bluster, boil, boil over, bourn, bowstring, braided stream, branch, brand, break, break down, bring down, bristle, broil, bronze, brook, brooklet, brown, browned off, brush, brutalize, bulldoze, bunco, burn down, burn in, burn off, burning, burning pain, burnout, burst into flame, butcher, capsule, carry on, cast, cast down, catch, catch fire, catch on fire, cauterize, ceiling, chafe, channel, char, cheat, check, chip, chisel, choke, chop down, chouse, chouse out of, claw, coal, cog, cog the dice, combust, con, concussion, conflagrate, consume, convulse, cook, cozen, crack, crackle, craze, creek, cremate, crib, crick, crucify, cupel, cure, cut, cut down, daze, dazzle, decapitate, decollate, deep-space ship, defenestrate, defraud, dehumidify, dehydrate, descent, desiccate, desire, destroy, diddle, diffuse light, distress, do in, do out of, docking, docking maneuver, drain, dry, electrocute, embrown, end of burning, enkindle, euchre, evaporate, excruciate, execute, exsiccate, fan the flame, feed, feed the fire, fell, ferry rocket, fester, finagle, fire, flam, flame, flame up, flare, flare up, flash, flash burn, flatten, fleece, flicker, flight, flimflam, flowing stream, flush, fluviation, fob, found, fracture, fray, frazzle, fresh, freshet, fret, fritter away, fry, fudge, fuel ship, fulgurate, fume, gall, garrote, gash, gasp, get wind of, gill, give light, give pain, glance, glare, gleam, glint, glow, gnaw, go on, gouge, gripe, guillotine, gull, gyp, hammer, harrow, have, have a conniption, hocus, hocus-pocus, hurt, ignite, ignition, impact, incandesce, incinerate, incise, incision, inflame, inflict capital punishment, inflict pain, infuscate, injection, injure, injury, insertion, insolate, irritate, itch, kill, kill by inches, kiln, kindle, knock down, knock over, lacerate, laceration, lapidate, launch, lay waste, lazy stream, lesion, level, lift-off, light, light up, long, loot, lunar excursion module, lunar module, luster, maim, make mincemeat of, manned rocket, martyr, martyrize, mat burn, maul, meandering stream, melt, midchannel, midstream, millstream, module, moon ship, mortal wound, moving road, mow down, mug, mulct, multistage rocket, mummify, mutilate, mutilation, navigable river, nip, nose out, orbit, overreach, oxidate, oxidize, pack the deal, pain, pant, parch, parking orbit, perigee, pierce, pigeon, pillage, pinch, pissed off, practice fraud upon, prick, prolong the agony, prostrate, pull down, puncture, put to death, put to torture, pyrolyze, race, racing stream, rack, radiate, radiate heat, rage, raise Cain, raise hell, raise the devil, raise the roof, ramp, rampage, rankle, rant, rant and rave, rape, rase, rasp, rave, raze, ream, reduce to ashes, reentry, rekindle, relight, relume, rend, rent, riot, rip, river, rivulet, roar, roast, rocket, rocket launching, rook, rub, ruin, run, rundle, runlet, runnel, rupture, rust, sack, savage, scald, scam, scent, scorch, scotch, scrape, scratch, screw, scuff, sear, second-degree burn, seethe, sell gold bricks, send out rays, set fire to, set on fire, shave, shimmer with heat, shine, shine brightly, shoot, shoot out rays, shortchange, shot, shrivel, shuttle rocket, sike, simmer, singe, sizzle, skin, slash, slaughter, slit, smart, smarting, smash, smell, smell out, smoke, smolder, smother, smoulder, sniff, sniff out, soak up, soft landing, solder, sore, sow chaos, space capsule, space docking, space rocket, spacecraft, spaceship, spark, spill stream, sponge, sprain, sputter, squander, stab, stab wound, stack the cards, steam, steamroller, stew, stick, stifle, sting, stinging, stir the fire, stoke, stoke the fire, stone, storm, strain, strangle, stream, stream action, streamlet, strike a light, subterranean river, suffocate, sun, sun-dry, sunburn, sunscald, suntan, swab, sweat, swelter, swindle, swinge, take, take a dive, take down, take on, tan, tear, tear around, tear down, terrorize, thimblerig, third-degree burn, throw a fight, throw a fit, throw away, throw down, tingle, tingling, toast, torch, torment, torrefy, torture, touch off, towel, trajectory, trauma, traumatize, tweak, twist, urtication, use, vandalize, velocity peak, vesicate, victimize, violate, vulcanize, wadi, warm, waste, watercourse, waterway, weazen, weld, windburn, wipe, wish, wither, wizen, wound, wounds immedicable, wreck, wrench, wring, yearn

ROGET THESAURUS

Burn

Punishment

VB punish, chastise, chasten, castigate, correct, inflict punishment, administer correction, deal retributive justice, cowhide, lambaste, visit upon, pay, pay out, serve out, do for, make short work of, give a lesson to, serve one right, make an example of, have a rod in pickle for, give it one, strike, deal a blow to, administer the lash, smite, slap, slap the face, smack, cuff, box the ears, spank, thwack, thump, beat, lay on, swinge, buffet, thresh, thrash, pummel, drub, leather, trounce, sandbag, baste, belabor, lace, lace one's jacket, dress, dress down, give a dressing, trim, warm, wipe, tund, cob, bang, strap, comb, lash, lick, larrup, wallop, whop, flog, scourge, whip, birch, cane, give the stick, switch, flagellate, horsewhip, bastinado, towel, rub down with an oaken towel, rib roast, dust one's jacket, fustigate, pitch into, lay about one, beat black and blue, beat to a mummy, beat to a jelly, give a black eye, tar and feather, pelt, stone, lapidate, masthead, keelhaul, execute, bring to the block, bring to the gallows, behead, decapitate, guillotine, decollate, hang, turn off, gibbet, bowstring, hang draw and quarter, shoot, decimate, burn, break on the wheel, crucify, empale, impale, flay, lynch, electrocute, gas, send to the gas chamber, torture, put on, put to the rack, picket, banish, exile, transport, expel, ostracize, rusticate, drum out, dismiss, disbar, disbench, strike off the roll, unfrock, post, suffer, suffer for, suffer punishment, be flogged, be executed, suffer the ultimate penalty, be hanged, come to the gallows, mount the gallows, swing, twist in the wind, dance upon nothing, die in one's shoes, be rightly served, be electrocuted, fry, ride the lightning, face the firing squad.

Excitability

VB be impatient, not be able to bear, bear ill, wince, chafe, champ a bit, be in a stew, be out of all patience, fidget, fuss, not have a wink of sleep, toss on one's pillow, lose one's temper, break out, burst out, fly out, go off, fly off, fly off at a tangent, fly off the handle, lose one's cool, explode, flare up, flame up, fire up, burst into a flame, take fire, fire, burn, boil, boil over, foam, fume, rage, rave, rant, tear, go wild, run wild, run mad, go into hysterics, run riot, run amuck, battre la campagne, faire le diable a quatre, play the deuce.

Nearness

VB be near, adjoin, hang about, trench on, border upon, verge upon, stand by, approximate, tread on the heels of, cling to, clasp, hug, huddle, hang upon the skirts of, hover over, burn, touch, bring near, draw near, converge, crowd, place side by side.

Love

VB love, like, affect, fancy, care for, take an interest in, be partial to, sympathize with, affection, be in love with, have a love, for, entertain a love, for, harbor cherish a love, for, regard, revere, take to, bear love to, be wedded to, set one's affections on, make much of, feast one's eyes on, hold dear, prize, hug, cling to, cherish, pet, burn, adore, idolize, love to distraction, aimer eperdument, dote on, dote upon, take a fancy to, look sweet upon, become enamored, fall in love with, lose one's heart, desire, excite love, win the heart, gain the heart, win the affections, gain the affections, secure the love, engage the affections, take the fancy of have a place in the heart, wind round the heart, attract, attach, endear, charm, fascinate, captivate, bewitch, seduce, enamor, enrapture, turn the head, get into favor, ingratiate oneself, insinuate oneself, worm oneself, propitiate, curry favor with, pay one's court to, faire l'aimable, set one's cap at, flirt.

River

N river, running water, jet, spirt, spurt, squirt, spout, spray, splash, rush, gush, jet d'eau, sluice, water spout, water fall, cascade, force, foss, lin, linn, ghyll, Niagara, cataract, rapids, white water, catadupe, cataclysm, debacle, inundation, deluge, chute, washout, rain, rainfall, serein, shower, scud, downpour, driving rain, drenching rain, cloudburst, hyetology, hyetography, predominance of Aquarius, reign of St. Swithin, mizzle, drizzle, stillicidum, plash, dropping, falling weather, northeaster, hurricane, typhoon, stream, course, flux, flow, profluence, effluence, defluxion, flowing, current, tide, race, coulee, spring, artesian well, fount, fountain, rill, rivulet, gill, gullet, rillet, streamlet, brooklet, branch, runnel, sike, burn, beck, creek, brook, bayou, stream, river, reach, tributary, geyser, spout, waterspout, body of water, torrent, rapids, flush, flood, swash, spring tide, high tide, full tide, bore, tidal bore, eagre, hygre, fresh, freshet, indraught, reflux, undercurrent, eddy, vortex, gurge, whirlpool, Maelstrom, regurgitation, overflow, confluence, corrivation, wave, billow, surge, swell, ripple, anerythmon gelasma, beach comber, riffle, rollers, ground swell, surf, breakers, white horses, whitecaps, rough sea, heavy sea, high seas, cross sea, long sea, short sea, chopping sea, hydrodynamics, hydraulics, hydraulicostatics, rain gauge, flowmeter, pegology, irrigation, pump, watering pot, watering cart, hydrant, syringe, garden hose, lawn spray, bhisti, mussuk, fluent, diffluent, profluent, affluent, tidal, flowing, meandering, meandry, meandrous, fluvial, fluviatile, streamy, showery, rainy, pluvial, stillicidous, stillatitious, for men may come and men may go but I go on foreve, that old man river, he just keeps rolling along.

Heat

VB be hot, glow, flush, sweat, swelter, bask, smoke, reek, stew, simmer, seethe, boil, burn, blister, broil, blaze, flame, smolder, parch, fume, pant, heat, recalesce, thaw, give.

Calefaction

VB heat, warm, chafe, stive, foment, make hot, sun oneself, sunbathe, go up in flames, burn to the ground (flame), fire, set fire to, set on fire, kindle, enkindle, light, ignite, strike a light, apply the match to, apply the torch to, rekindle, relume, fan the flame, add fuel to the flame, poke the fire, stir the fire, blow the fire, make a bonfire of, melt, thaw, fuse, liquefy, burn, inflame, roast, toast, fry, grill, singe, parch, bake, torrefy, scorch, brand, cauterize, sear, burn in, corrode, char, calcine, incinerate, smelt, scorify, reduce to ashes, burn to a cinder, commit to the flames, consign to the flames, boil, digest, stew, cook, seethe, scald, parboil, simmer, do to rags, take fire, catch fire, blaze.

Discovery

VB discover, find, determine, evolve, learn, fix upon, pick up, find out, trace out, make out, hunt out, fish out, worm out, ferret out, root out, fathom, bring out, draw out, educe, elicit, bring to light, dig out, grub up, fish up, unearth, disinter, solve, resolve, elucidate, unriddle, unravel, unlock, crack, crack open, pick up, open the lock, find a clue, find clew a to, find the key to the riddle, interpret, disclose, trace, get at, hit it, have it, lay one's finger, lay one's hands upon, spot, get at the truth, arrive at the truth, put the saddle on the right horse, hit the right nail on the head, be near the truth, be warm, get warmer, burn, smoke, scent, sniff, catch a whiff of, smell a rat, open the eyes to, see through, see daylight, see in its true colors, see the cloven foot, detect, catch, catch tripping, pitch upon, fall upon, light upon, hit upon, stumble upon, pop upon, come across, come onto, meet with, meet up with, fall in with, recognize, realize, verify, make certain of, identify, Int, eureka!, aha!, I've got it!.