Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Burn
Burn
(bûrn)
, Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Burned
(bûrnd) or Burnt
(bûrnt); p. pr. & vb. n.
Burning
.] [OE.
bernen
, brennen
, v. t., early confused with beornen
, birnen
, v. i., AS. bærnan
, bernan
, v. t., birnan
, v. i.; akin to OS. brinnan
, OFries. barna
, berna
, OHG. brinnan
, brennan
, G. brennen
, OD. bernen
, D. branden
, Dan. brænde
, Sw. bränna
, 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:
“We’ll burn his body in the holy place.” as, to
. burn
up woodShak.
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 grass3.
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 lime4.
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 block5.
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 pepperThis tyrant fever
burns
me up. Shakespeare
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 [GREEK][GREEK]ass 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 oxygenTo 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
, (a)
to destroy or obliterate by burning.
“Must you with hot irons burn out mine eyes?” Shak.
(b)
to force (people) to flee by burning their homes or places of business;
– as, the rioters
burned out
the Chinese businessmen. 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
,Verb.
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. Shakespeare
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 feverDid 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. Shakespeare
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 chlorine5.
In certain games, to approach near to a concealed object which is sought.
[Colloq.]
To burn up
, To burn down
to be entirely consumed.
Burn
,Noun.
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 , 6.
Brand
, Noun.
Webster 1828 Edition
Burn
BURN
,Verb.
T.
1. To consume with fire; to reduce to ashes by the action of heat or fire; frequently with up; as, to burn up wood.
2.
To expel the volatile parts and reduce to charcoal by fire; as, to burn wood into coal. Hence, in popular language, to burn a kiln of wood, is to char the wood.3.
To cleanse of soot by burning; to inflame; as, to burn a chimney; an extensive use of the word.4.
To harden in the fire; to bake or harden by heat; as, to burn bricks or a brick kiln.5.
To scorch; to affect by heat; as, to burn the clothes or the legs by the fire; to burn meat or bread in cookery.6.
To injure by fire; to affect the flesh by heat.7.
To dry up or dissipate; with up; as, to burn up tears. 8.
To dry excessively; to cause to wither by heat; as,the sun burns the grass or plants.9.
To heat or inflame; to affect with excessive stimulus; as, ardent spirits burn the stomach. 10. To affect with heat in cookery, so as to give the food a disagreeable taste. Hence the phrase burnt to.
11. To calcine with heat or fire; to expel the volatile matter from substances, so that they are easily pulverized; as, to burn oyster shells, or lime-stone.
12. To affect with excess of heat; as, the fever burns a patient.
13. To subject to the action of fire; to heat or dry; as, to burn colors.
To burn up, to consume entirely by fire.
To burn out, to burn till the fuel is all consumed.
BURN
,Verb.
I.
1.
To shine; to sparkle.O prince! O wherefore burn your eyes?
2.
To be inflamed with passion or desire; as, to burn with anger or love.3.
To act with destructive violence, as fire. Shall thy wrath burn like fire?
4.
To be in commotion; to rage with destructive violence.The groan still deepens and the combat burns.
5.
To be heated; to be in a glow; as, the face burns.6.
To be affected with a sensation of heat, pain or acidity; as, the heart burns.7.
To feel excess of heat; as, the flesh burns by a fire; a patient burns with a fever.To burn out, to burn till the fuel is exhausted and the fire ceases.
BURN
,Noun.
1.
The operation of burning or baking, as in brickmaking; as, they have a good burn.