Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Burn?

\Burn\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Burned} (?) or {Burnt} (?); p. pr. & vb. n. {Burning}.] [OE. bernen, brennen, v. t., early confused with beornen, birnen, v. i., AS. b[ae]rnan, bernan, v. t., birnan, v. i.; akin to OS. brinnan, OFries. barna, berna, OHG. brinnan, brennan, G. brennen, OD. bernen, D. branden, Dan. br[ae]nde, Sw. br["a]nna, brinna, Icel. brenna, Goth. brinnan, brannjan (in comp.), and possibly to E. fervent.] 1. To consume with fire; to reduce to ashes by the action of heat or fire; -- frequently intensified by up: as, to burn up wood. ``We'll burn his body in the holy place.'' --Shak. 2. 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. 3. 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. 4. 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. 5. 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. This tyrant fever burns me up. --Shak. This dry sorrow burns up all my tears. --Dryden. When the cold north wind bloweth, . . . it devoureth the mountains, and burneth the wilderness, and consumeth the grass as fire. --Ecclus. xliii. 20, 21. 6. (Surg.) To apply a cautery to; to cauterize. 7. (Chem.) 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. {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}, to destroy or obliterate by burning. ``Must you with hot irons burn out mine eyes?'' --Shak. {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. 1. To be of fire; to flame. ``The mount burned with fire.'' --Deut. ix. 15. 2. To suffer from, or be scorched by, an excess of heat. Your meat doth burn, quoth I. --Shak. 3. 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. Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way? --Luke xxiv. 32. The barge she sat in, like a burnished throne, Burned on the water. --Shak. Burning with high hope. --Byron. The groan still deepens, and the combat burns. --Pope. The parching air Burns frore, and cold performs the effect of fire. --Milton. 4. (Chem.) To combine energetically, with evolution of heat; as, copper burns in chlorine. 5. In certain games, to approach near to a concealed object which is sought. [Colloq.] {To burn out}, to burn till the fuel is exhausted. {To burn up}, {To burn down}, to be entirely consumed.
\Burn\, n. 1. A hurt, injury, or effect caused by fire or excessive or intense heat. 2. The operation or result of burning or baking, as in brickmaking; as, they have a good burn. 3. A disease in vegetables. See {Brand}, n., 6.
\Burn\, n. [See 1st {Bourn}.] A small stream. [Scot.]