Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English - burn

~1 v past and past participle burnt or burned FIRE 1 »PRODUCE HEAT« to produce heat and flames  (Is the fire still burning?) 2 »DESTROY WITH FIRE« to be destroyed by fire or destroy something with fire  (burn sth)  (I burnt all his old letters.) 3 burn to the ground/burn to ashes if a building burns to the ground, it is completely destroyed by fire 4 burn sth to a crisp/cinder to burn something until it is black, especially by cooking it for too long 5 »DAMAGE BY FIRE« to damage something or hurt someone with fire or heat, or be hurt or damaged in this way  (I've burnt my hand. | Quick, the toast's burning! | burn a hole in)  (Be careful you don't burn a hole in the chair with your cigarette.) CHEMICALS 6 to damage or destroy something by a chemical action; corrode KILL 7 be burned to death/burned alive to be killed in a fire 8 burn sb at the stake to kill someone by tying them to a post on top of a fire PRODUCE POWER/LIGHT 9 if you burn a fuel, or if it burns, it is used to produce power, heat, light etc  (The central heating boiler burns oil.) 10 »SHINE« if a light or lamp burns, it shines or produces light  (A light was burning in her window.) FEELING/EMOTION 11 to feel unpleasantly hot or make part of your body feel like this  (I'm afraid the ointment might burn a bit.) 12 »BE EMBARRASSED« if your face or cheeks are burning, they feel hot because you are embarrassed or upset 13 be burning with rage/desire etc to feel an emotion very strongly 14 be burning to do sth to want to do something very much  (Hannah's burning to tell you her news.) 15 it burns me/her/John etc that AmE used to say that something makes someone feel angry or jealous  (It really burns me the way they treat us.) 16 be/get burned to be emotionally hurt by someone or something MONEY 17 burn a hole in your pocket if money is burning a hole in your pocket, you want to spend it as soon as you can 18 burn your fingers/get your fingers burned informal to suffer the unpleasant results of something that you have done  (George got his fingers badly burned when the travel company collapsed.) 19 be/get burned to lose a lot of money, especially in a business deal  (A lot of people got burned buying junk bonds.) CARS 20 »GO FAST« to travel very fast + along/through/up etc  (a sports car burning up the motorway) 21 burn rubber AmE informal to start a car moving so quickly that the tyres become very hot and make a loud high noise »OTHER MEANINGS« 22 burn your bridges/boats informal to do something that you cannot change, that often makes a situation difficult for you 23 burn the candle at both ends informal to work too hard for too long 24 burn the midnight oil informal to work or study until late at night  ( USAGE NOTE: BURN SPELLING In American English the past tense and past participle of the verb is burned She burned a hole in my new shirt. In British English burnt is used, though burned is also used, especially when the action goes on for some time The fire burned brightly. | I've burnt my hand. | The house burnt down. In both American and British English, burnt is used when the word is used as an adjective burnt toast | a burnt tree (=made black by burning) This is also true of spoiled/spoilt, learned/learnt, spilled/spilt, spelled/spelt, smelled/smelt, and, with a pronunciation difference as well, leaned/leant, leaped/leapt, dreamed/dreamt, kneeled/knelt. e.g. I learned English for ten years. | a spoilt child ) @~ away ~ away phr v if something burns away or is burned away, it is destroyed or reduced to something much smaller by fire @~ down ~ down phr v 1 T burn something down) if a building burns down or is burned down, it is destroyed by fire 2 if a fire burns down, the flames become weaker and it produces less heat @~ off ~ sth off phr v 1 to remove something by burning it  (farmers burning off the stubble from the fields) 2 burn off energy/fat/calories etc to use energy etc by doing physical exercise  (I think I'll go for a walk and burn off a few calories!) @~ out ~ out phr v 1 »FIRE« T burn something out) if a fire burns out or burns itself out, it stops burning because there is no coal, wood etc left 2 be burnt out if something is burnt out, the inside of it is destroyed by fire  (The hotel was completely burnt out; only the walls remained.) 3 burn yourself out to ruin your health and feel very tired through working too hard, drinking too much alcohol etc 4 »ENGINE« T burn something out) if an engine or electric wire burns out or is burned out, it stops working because it has been damaged by getting too hot 5 »AIRCRAFT« if a rocket1 or jet1 (1) burns out, it stops operating because all its fuel1 (1) has been used  (- see also burnout (1)) @~ up ~ up phr v 1 »DESTROY« T burn something up) if something burns up or is burnt up, it is completely destroyed by fire or great heat 2 »BURN BRIGHTER« if a fire burns up, it gets stronger and brighter 3 »BE HOT« spoken if someone is burning up, they are very hot 4 »MAKE SB ANGRY« T burn someone up) informal especially AmE to make someone angry  (The way he treats her really burns me up.) 5 be burned up with anger/jealousy etc to have your mind full of a strong emotion 6 burn up energy/fat/calories etc to use energy etc by doing physical exercise. @ ~2 n 1 an injury or mark caused by fire, heat, or acid  (severe/minor burns (=burns that are serious or not serious)) 2 the burn informal a painful hot feeling in your muscles when you exercise a lot  (Go for the burn.) 3 especially ScotE a small stream