burr
burr Lexical Profile
burr Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A prickly seed case or flower head of a plant that clings to animal fur or clothing.
"After walking through the overgrown meadow, she spent twenty minutes picking burrs off her wool socks."
A rough edge or ridge left on metal or another material after it has been cut, drilled, or stamped.
"The machinist used a fine file to smooth away the sharp burr along the edge of the steel pipe."
A rough, strong pronouncing of the letter "r", especially as a uvular or alveolar trill characteristic of Scottish or Northumbrian speech.
"The actor spoke with a rich Scottish burr that captivated the theater audience."
A small rotary cutting tool or drill bit attached to a rotating shaft, used especially in dentistry, surgery, or metalworking.
"The dentist selected a diamond-coated burr to prepare the tooth for the crown."
British A rounded knotty growth on the trunk or branch of a tree, prized for its intricately figured wood.
"The cabinetmaker crafted the jewelry box from a polished walnut burr."
• verb
To make a soft, continuous whirring or buzzing sound, or to pronounce the letter "r" with a rough trill.
"The cicadas burred steadily in the warm evening air while the guests dined on the patio."
To form a rough edge on metal or another material, or to remove rough edges from a surface.
"Dropping the chisel onto the concrete floor burred the corner of the blade."
Word Nuance & Usage
The botanical sense of a prickly seed case is frequently spelled either "bur" or "burr," whereas the mechanical sense of a rough metal edge and the phonetic sense of a trilled "r" are almost exclusively spelled "burr."
• Rhymes for burr
Word Origin & Etymology
From Middle English burre, of Scandinavian origin (akin to Old Danish borre, meaning "burdock"), while the phonetic sense referring to a rough or trilled pronunciation is imitative of the sound.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.