Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary - burn

(burns, burning, burned, burnt) Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English. Note: The past tense and past participle is 'burned' in American English, and 'burned' or 'burnt' in British English. 1. If there is a fire or a flame somewhere, you say that there is a fire or flame burning there. Fires were burning out of control in the center of the city... There was a fire burning in the large fireplace... VERB: V, V 2. If something is burning, it is on fire. When I arrived one of the vehicles was still burning... That boy was rescued from a burning house. VERB: V, V-ing • burning When we arrived in our village there was a terrible smell of burning. N-UNCOUNT 3. If you burn something, you destroy or damage it with fire. Protesters set cars on fire and burned a building... Coal fell out of the fire, and burned the carpet. VERB: V n, V n • burning The French government has criticized the burning of a US flag outside the American Embassy. N-UNCOUNT 4. If you burn a fuel or if it burns, it is used to produce heat, light, or energy. The power stations burn coal from the Ruhr region... Manufacturers are working with new fuels to find one that burns more cleanly than petrol. VERB: V n, V 5. If you burn something that you are cooking or if it burns, you spoil it by using too much heat or cooking it for too long. I burnt the toast... Watch them carefully as they finish cooking because they can burn easily. VERB: V n, V • burnt ...the smell of burnt toast. ADJ 6. If you burn part of your body, burn yourself, or are burnt, you are injured by fire or by something very hot. Take care not to burn your fingers... If you are badly burnt, seek medical attention. VERB: V n, be V-ed, also V pron-refl • Burn is also a noun. She suffered appalling burns to her back. N-COUNT 7. If someone is burnt or burnt to death, they are killed by fire. Women were burned as witches in the middle ages... At least 80 people were burnt to death when their bus caught fire. VERB: usu passive, be V-ed as n, be V-ed to n 8. If a light is burning, it is shining. (LITERARY) The building was darkened except for a single light burning in a third-story window. VERB: V 9. If your face is burning, it is red because you are embarrassed or upset. Liz’s face was burning. VERB: usu cont, V 10. If you are burning with an emotion or are burning to do something, you feel that emotion or the desire to do that thing very strongly. The young boy was burning with a fierce ambition... Dan burned to know what the reason could be. VERB: V with n, V to-inf 11. If you burn or get burned in the sun, the sun makes your skin become red and sore. Build up your tan slowly and don’t allow your skin to burn... Summer sun can burn fair skin in minutes. VERB: V, V n 12. If a part of your body burns or if something burns it, it has a painful, hot or stinging feeling. My eyes burn from staring at the needle... His face was burning with cold. ...delicious Indian recipes which won’t burn your throat. VERB: V, V with n, V n 13. To burn a CD-ROM means to write or copy data onto it. (COMPUTING INFORMAL) You can use this software to burn custom compilations of your favorite tunes. VERB: V n 14. see also burning 15. to burn the candle at both ends: see candle to get your fingers burned: see finger to burn something to the ground: see ground to burn the midnight oil: see midnight to have money to burn: see money