burn

burn¹

verb (past and past participle burned or chiefly Brit. burnt)

1》 (of a fire) flame or glow while consuming a fuel.

    ↘use (a fuel) as a source of heat or energy.

2》 be or cause to be harmed or destroyed by fire.

    ↘(of the skin) become red and painful through exposure to the sun.

    ↘feel hot as a result of illness, injury, or emotion.

3》 (be burning with) be entirely possessed by (a desire or emotion).

4》 (burn out) become exhausted through overwork.

5》 informal drive very fast.

6》 (burn someone up) N. Amer. informal make someone very angry.

7》 produce (a CD) by copying from an original or master copy.

noun

1》 an injury or area of damage caused by burning.

    ↘a painful sensation in the muscles experienced as a result of sustained exercise.

2》 a firing of a rocket engine in flight.

3》 N. Amer. & Austral./NZ an act of clearing of vegetation by burning.

Phrases

burn one's boats (or bridges) do something which makes turning back impossible.

burn the candle at both ends go to bed late and get up early.

burn a hole in one's pocket (of money) tempt one to spend it quickly or extravagantly.

burn the midnight oil work late into the night.

burn rubber informal drive very fast.

Origin

OE birnan 'be on fire' and bærnan 'consume by fire', both from the same Gmc base.

————————

burn²

noun Scottish & N. English a small stream.

Origin

OE burna, burn(e), of Gmc origin.