burn
/bɝn/ verb B1- To be consumed by fire or in flames. · He watched the house burn.· The wood will not burn well because it is wet.
- To contain a fire or coals. · The wood stove was burning, giving off plenty of heat.· The campfire died down, but it's still burning enough to feel some warmth through the night.
- To become overheated to the point of being unusable; to become scorched. · The grill was too hot and the steak burned.
- To be executed by an electric chair. · In this state, he could burn for his crimes.
- To be hot, e.g. due to embarrassment. · The child’s forehead was burning with fever. Her cheeks burned with shame.
- To approach near to a concealed object which is sought, especially in certain games; to be so near as to be figuratively burnt by a hidden target. · You’re cold… warm… hot… you’re burning!
- To desire or ache for (something); to be intense, as a desire. · I burn for her touch.· He tried to get over it, but he burned for revenge against those who wronged him.
- To be converted to another element in a nuclear fusion reaction, especially in a star; to undergo nuclear fusion or nuclear fission.
Plural burn · He/she/it burns · Past burned · Past participle burned · -ing form burning
Verb forms
- Base form
- burn
- He/she/it
- burns
- Past
- burned
- Past participle
- burned
- -ing form
- burning
Phrasal verbs and expressions
- burn away To remove or be removed by burning.
- burn down To cause (a structure) to burn to nothing.
- burn in To eat into, as fire.
- burn off To dissipate as the result of heat.
- burn out To destroy by fire.
- burn through To use up in a hasty or destructive manner.
- burn up To catch fire and burn until destroyed.
From the library
The candle, which was a new one, is not burned more than half an inch.
The candle was not lit at that time; but the lamp was burning.
Even the grass was not green, for the sun had burned the tops of the long blades until they were the same gray color to be seen everywhere.
But the Scarecrow did not mind how long it took him to fill the basket, for it enabled him to keep away from the fire, as he feared a spark might get into his straw and burn him up.
Other matches
- burn A physical injury caused by heat, cold, electri... A2
- burn away To remove or be removed by burning.
- burn down To cause
- burn in To eat into, as fire.
- burn off To dissipate as the result of heat.
- burn out To destroy by fire.
- burn through To use up in a hasty or destructive manner.
- burn up To catch fire and burn until destroyed.
Learn burn in real texts
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