burn
burn Lexical Profile
burn Game Scores & Validity
• noun
An injury to bodily tissue or damage to a surface caused by exposure to fire, intense heat, radiation, electricity, or corrosive chemicals.
"The chef treated a minor burn on his forearm with cold water after touching the hot oven rack."
A sharp, clever insult or cutting remark that humiliates or outwits someone (informal).
"The audience gasped at the comedian's witty burn during the friendly roast."
A controlled firing of a rocket thruster or engine in spaceflight to alter a spacecraft's trajectory or velocity.
"Mission control confirmed that the six-minute engine burn successfully placed the satellite into lunar orbit."
Scottish A small stream, brook, or rivulet flowing through a rural landscape in Scotland, northern England, and parts of New Zealand.
"We crossed a narrow stone bridge spanning a clear highland burn on our hike through the glen."
• verb
To be on fire, produce flames and heat, or be consumed and destroyed by combustion.
"Dry pine logs burn quickly in the hearth and fill the cabin with a pleasant aroma."
To damage, injure, char, or destroy something by exposing it to fire, extreme heat, radiation, or corrosive chemicals.
"Be careful not to burn the garlic while sautéing it in the hot olive oil."
To utilize or consume a substance such as fuel, fat, or calories as a source of energy.
"Brisk walking for an hour helps the body burn calories and improve cardiovascular health."
To feel or be consumed by an intense emotion, passionate desire, or stinging physical sensation.
"She began to burn with curiosity after finding the sealed letter in her grandmother's attic."
To record digital data, audio, or video onto an optical disc or permanent memory chip using a laser or electrical current.
"In the early 2000s, music fans frequently used their computers to burn custom playlists onto blank CDs."
Word Nuance & Usage
Both 'burned' and 'burnt' are acceptable past tense and past participle forms; 'burned' is standard in American English, while 'burnt' is commonly used in British English and globally as a prenominal adjective (e.g., 'burnt toast').
• Rhymes for burn
Word Origin & Etymology
The verb merges two distinct Old English words—the intransitive 'birnan' (to be on fire) and the transitive 'bærnan' (to set on fire)—both ultimately derived from the Proto-Germanic root '*brennanan'. The Scottish noun meaning a stream derives separately from Old English 'burna' (brook or fountain).