burn

I. noun Etymology: Middle English, from Old English; akin to Old High German brunno spring of water Date: before 12th century British creek 2 II. verb (burned or burnt; burning) Etymology: Middle English birnen, from Old English byrnan, verbi., bærnan, verbt.; akin to Old High German brinnan to burn Date: before 12th century intransitive verb 1. a. to consume fuel and give off heat, light, and gases <

a small fire burns on the hearth

> b. to undergo combustion; also to undergo nuclear fission or nuclear fusion c. to contain a fire <

a little stove burning in the corner

> d. to give off light ; shine, glow <

a light burning in the window

> 2. a. to be hot <

the burning sand

> b. to produce or undergo discomfort or pain <

ears burning from the cold

> c. to become emotionally excited or agitated: as (1) to yearn ardently <

burning to tell the story

> (2) to be or become very angry or disgusted <

the remark made him burn

> 3. a. to undergo alteration or destruction by the action of fire or heat <

the house burned down

> <

the potatoes burned to a crisp

> b. to die in the electric chair 4. to force or make a way by or as if by burning <

her words burned into his heart

> 5. to suffer sunburn <

she burns easily

> transitive verb 1. a. to cause to undergo combustion; especially to destroy by fire <

burned the trash

> b. to use as fuel <

this furnace burns gas

> c. to use up ; consume <

burn calories

> 2. a. to transform by exposure to heat or fire <

burn clay to bricks

> b. to produce by burning <

burned a hole in his sleeve

> c. to record digital data or music on (an optical disk) using a laser <

burn a CD

>; also to record (data or music) in this way <

burn songs onto a disk

> 3. a. to injure or damage by or as if by exposure to fire, heat, or radiation ; scorch <

burned his hand

> b. to execute by burning <

burned heretics at the stake

>; also electrocute 4. a. irritate, annoy — often used with up <

really burns me up

> b. to subject to misfortune, mistreatment, or deception — often used in passive <

has been burned in love

> c. to beat or score on <

burned the defense with a touchdown pass

> • burnable adjective III. noun Date: 1594 1. an act, process, instance, or result of burning: as a. injury or damage resulting from exposure to fire, heat, caustics, electricity, or certain radiations b. a burned area <

a burn on the tabletop

> c. an abrasion (as of the skin) having the appearance of a burn <

rope burns

> d. a burning sensation <

the burn of iodine on a cut

> 2. the firing of a rocket engine in flight 3. anger; especially increasing fury — used chiefly in the phrase slow burn