burn

Universal Words verb, noun verb (burnt, burnt ) fire 1 [V] to produce flames and heat: A welcoming fire was burning in the fireplace. * Fires were burning all over the city. 2 [V] (used especially in the progressive tenses) to be on fire: By nightfall the whole city was burning. * Two children were rescued from the burning car. * The smell of burning rubber filled the air. 3 to destroy, damage, injure or kill sb/sth by fire; to be destroyed, etc. by fire: [VN] to burn waste paper / dead leaves * All his belongings were burnt in the fire. * The cigarette burned a hole in the carpet. * The house was burnt to the ground (= completely destroyed) by protesters. * [VN-ADJ] His greatest fear is of being burnt alive. * [V] The house burned to the ground. * Ten people burned to death in the hotel fire. fuel 4 if you burn a fuel, or a fuel burns, it produces heat, light or energy: [VN] a furnace that burns gas / oil / coke * (figurative) Some people burn calories (= use food to produce energy) faster than others. * [V] Which fuel burns most efficiently? food 5 if food burns, or if you burn it, it is spoiled because it gets too hot: [V] I can smell something burning in the kitchen. * [VN] Sorry-I burnt the toast. sun / heat / acid 6 to be damaged or injured by the sun, heat, acid, etc.; to damage or injure sb/sth in this way: [V] My skin burns easily (= in the sun). * [VN] I got badly burned by the sun yesterday. * The soup's hot. Don't burn your mouth. * I burned myself on the stove. of part of body 7 [V] if part of your body burns or is burning, it feels very hot and painful: Your forehead's burning. Have you got a fever? * Her cheeks burned with embarrassment. of a light 8 [V] to produce light: Lights were burning upstairs, but no one answered the door. feel emotion / desire 9 ~ (with sth) (written) to feel a very strong emotion or desire: [V] to be burning with rage / ambition / love * [Vtoinf] He was burning to go climbing again. IDIOMS burn your bridges (BrE also burn your boats) to do sth that makes it impossible to return to the previous situation later: Think carefully before you resign-you don't want to burn your bridges. burn the candle at both ends to become very tired by trying to do too many things and going to bed late and getting up early burn your fingers