burn
/bɜːn/ (bre, ipa) · /bɜːrn/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈbərn/ (ame, mw) · /bɝːn/ (ame, ipa)
burn — verb
1. to suffer harm or be ruined when fire, hot objects, chemicals, or strong heat to
to suffer harm or be ruined when fire, hot objects, chemicals, or strong heat touch a person or thing; also, to cause such harm to someone or something.
Marcus burned the old letters in the metal bin behind his garage.
transitive: burn + concrete object (paper, wood)
Lina burned her finger on the hot pan while making pancakes.
burn + body part: typical injury frame
Three small huts near the river burned during last night's wildfire.
Don't leave the candle near the curtains; the cloth will burn quickly.
Boiling water from the kettle splashed onto Sara's arm and burned her wrist.
- scorch
surface burn that leaves a mark; less destruction
- char
burn until black; emphasises the dark surface left behind
- incinerate
destroy completely by fire; formal/technical
- extinguish
stop the fire rather than cause damage
文法句型
burn + object
subject + burn (intransitive)
用法筆記
Works both ways: the thing destroyed can be the subject (intransitive) or the object (transitive). Distinguish from sense 2 (food cooked too long) and sense 8 (be on fire / produce flames) — sense 1 focuses on the damage caused to a person or thing.
常見錯誤
2. to spoil food during cooking by leaving it on the heat slightly longer than mean
to spoil food during cooking by leaving it on the heat slightly longer than meant to, so the dish is partly damaged or scorched but not turned to charcoal; food may also burn in this way by itself.
Carlos burned the rice because he forgot to lower the gas.
transitive: cook + leave too long
The toast burned while Maya was answering the phone in the hallway.
intransitive: food as subject
Diego stirred the curry quickly so the spices wouldn't burn at the bottom of the pot.
Grandma always burns the bottom of her pancakes a little.
文法句型
burn + food noun
food + burn (intransitive)
用法筆記
Frequent objects are everyday food nouns: rice, toast, onions, pizza, the dinner. Distinguish from sibling sense 7 (food turned fully charcoal-black and inedible): sense 2 covers a partial mishap where the dish is hurt but often still rescuable; sense 7 means the food is destroyed.
常見錯誤
3. to have skin become red and painful from spending too long under strong sunshine
to have skin become red and painful from spending too long under strong sunshine; the sun can also do this to a person.
Lina burns easily, so she packs sunscreen for every beach trip.
intransitive: person as subject of burn
The midday sun burned Marcus's shoulders during the long hike.
transitive: the sun as subject
After two hours by the pool, my back was burning and bright pink.
Carlos forgot his hat at the cricket match and burned across the back of his neck.
文法句型
sun + burns + person
person + burns (intransitive)
用法筆記
Subject is either the sun or the person. Frequent collocates: 'burn easily', 'burn quickly', 'burn red'. Different from sense 11 (face/skin feels very hot) — sense 3 is about real damage to skin from the sun, not just a hot feeling.
常見錯誤
4. to leave someone with deep emotional pain, often after they trusted a person who
to leave someone with deep emotional pain, often after they trusted a person who then betrayed or disappointed them — usually said about love, friendship, or business deals.
Maya was badly burned by her last business partner and now signs nothing without a lawyer.
passive: be burned by + person
After his cousin lied about the rent money, Daniel felt completely burned.
Sara has been burned in love before, so she takes new dates very slowly.
Two investors got badly burned when the property developer disappeared with their deposits.
文法句型
be burned by + person/event
用法筆記
Almost always passive: 'be burned (by someone)' or 'get burned'. Common in talk about money deals and relationships. Distinguish from sense 1: sense 4 is figurative emotional damage; literal fire is not involved.
常見錯誤
5. to put someone to death by fastening them to a wooden post and setting fire unde
to put someone to death by fastening them to a wooden post and setting fire underneath — a punishment used long ago against people accused of crimes such as witchcraft.
In 1431, soldiers burned Joan of Arc at the stake in the market square of Rouen.
burn + person + at the stake
Many women in 17th-century Europe were burned after being accused of witchcraft.
passive: be burned
The angry crowd threatened to burn the prisoner alive outside the city walls.
In 1553, the bishop was burned at the stake outside Oxford for refusing to change his beliefs.
文法句型
burn + person + (at the stake)
be burned alive
用法筆記
Almost always with 'at the stake' or 'alive', and almost always in historical contexts. Modern speakers rarely use this sense outside history class, novels, or films.
常見錯誤
6. to set fire to a house, factory, or other building so that the whole structure i
to set fire to a house, factory, or other building so that the whole structure is lost.
Soldiers burned every village along the coast during the long war.
burn + buildings as object
The old cinema on Park Street was burned by vandals last weekend.
passive: be burned + by + agent
Retreating troops burned the warehouse in the harbour to stop the enemy from using its supplies.
Lightning hit the barn and burned it to the ground in twenty minutes.
- rebuild
put the building back up
文法句型
burn + building (often passive)
用法筆記
Object is usually a building or settlement (house, church, village, factory). Often paired with 'to the ground' for total destruction. Compare 'burn down' (phrasal verb) — same idea but with a clear stress on full collapse of the building.
常見錯誤
7. to ruin food on heat until it is fully charred — completely blackened, crisp thr
to ruin food on heat until it is fully charred — completely blackened, crisp through and through, and no longer fit to eat; food can also burn in this way on its own.
Lina forgot the toast and burned both slices to a crisp.
transitive: burn + food (overcook to black)
The garlic burned in the pan while Marcus answered the phone.
intransitive: food + burn (food as subject)
Daniel left the casserole in the oven too long and the cheese on top burned solid black.
Aunt Rosa burned the cookies black and the kitchen smelled awful.
The pizza burned at the edges because the oven was too hot.
- char
stronger; emphasizes the black surface left behind
- scorch
lighter damage — surface browning, not fully black
- incinerate
extreme; reduces something to ash, not used for food in normal kitchens
文法句型
burn + food noun
food noun + burn
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 2: sense 7 is the extreme outcome — the food is carbonised, charcoal-black through and through, and thrown away — while sense 2 covers a partial mishap where the dish is damaged but often still edible. Common collocates: 'burned to a crisp', 'burned black'.
常見錯誤
8. if wood, coal, a candle, or another fuel burns, flames rise from it and it gives
if wood, coal, a candle, or another fuel burns, flames rise from it and it gives off heat and smoke as the material is used up.
The campfire burned all night beside the tents.
intransitive: subject is the fire/fuel
Dry pine branches burn faster than damp oak logs.
comparative pattern with fuel as subject
A single candle burned on the wooden table.
The pine forest above the village had been burning for three days when heavy rain finally arrived.
Coal burns with a bright orange flame in the old stove.
- extinguish
to put out a fire that is burning
文法句型
[fuel/object] + burn
用法筆記
Subject is typically the fuel or object on fire (wood, candle, building, fire itself), not a person. For people or things damaged by fire, use sense 1 (verb_b1, 'be hurt or destroyed by fire').
常見錯誤
9. to use up fuel such as petrol, coal, or wood, or body energy such as calories or
to use up fuel such as petrol, coal, or wood, or body energy such as calories or fat, by turning it into heat, light, or movement.
Old buses burn diesel and pump black smoke into the street.
burn + fuel (engines/vehicles)
Maya burns about 400 calories on her morning run.
burn + calories (body energy use)
The old farmhouse burns wood for heat in winter.
The old power station outside town still burns coal and releases black smoke every morning.
The trainer told Lina that cycling uphill burns more fat than jogging on flat ground.
文法句型
burn + fuel/energy noun
用法筆記
Object is a fuel (diesel, coal, wood, gas) or a body-energy unit (calories, fat, kilojoules). Distinct from sense 8 — sense 9 highlights the consumption of fuel for a purpose, not the visible fire itself.
常見錯誤
10. if a lamp, candle, or similar light source burns, it is switched on or lit and i
if a lamp, candle, or similar light source burns, it is switched on or lit and is shining steadily.
A small lamp burned on the desk while Carlos finished his essay.
burn = (lamp) be lit and shining
Lights were still burning on the top floor of the law firm at two in the morning.
lights + burning (after-hours work imagery)
A single candle burned in the window of the old cottage.
An oil lamp burned softly on the kitchen table while Grandma read her old letters.
The old gas lamps along the harbour wall still burn from sunset until the milk truck arrives.
- go out
of a lamp, candle, or fire
文法句型
[lamp/star/light] + burn
用法筆記
Subject is a light source (lamp, candle, star, fire seen as light). Slightly literary or descriptive in tone. For modern electric lighting, 'be on' or 'be lit' is more common in speech.
常見錯誤
11. if your skin, eyes, or throat burns, or something makes it burn, you feel a stro
if your skin, eyes, or throat burns, or something makes it burn, you feel a strong hot, painful, stinging sensation — for example, after chilli, sun, or shouting too long.
Maya's cheeks burned with embarrassment after she dropped the cake.
burn + with [emotion] for body-temperature feeling
The chilli sauce burned Carlos's tongue for nearly ten minutes.
transitive: substance + burn + body part
Maya's eyes were burning from the smoke in the kitchen.
After an hour of shouting, the coach's throat burned painfully.
The cold wind made my ears burn as I walked home.
文法句型
[body part] + burn
[substance] + burn + [body part]
用法筆記
About a sensation, not actual fire damage. Subject is a body part (cheeks, eyes, throat, skin), or the cause is the subject and the body part is the object. For real fire injury, use sense 1 (verb_b1).
常見錯誤
12. to feel a very strong wish to do something, or a powerful emotion such as anger
to feel a very strong wish to do something, or a powerful emotion such as anger or longing — used in writing or careful speech to make the feeling sound intense.
Lina was burning to tell her sister the good news.
burn + to-infinitive: strong desire
The young soldiers burned with anger at the unfair orders.
burn with + emotion noun (anger/passion)
Carlos burned to prove his old coach wrong.
Rosa burned with longing for her family back in Manila.
After winning the regional medal, Priya was burning to compete at the national championships in June.
- dread
to strongly not want something
文法句型
burn + to-infinitive
burn with + [emotion]
用法筆記
Slightly formal or literary. Two main shapes: 'burn to + infinitive' (strong wish to act) and 'burn with + emotion' (anger, shame, desire, longing). Avoid in casual conversation — 'really want to' or 'be dying to' fits better there.
常見錯誤
13. to save songs, photos, films, or other digital files onto a blank CD or DVD usin
to save songs, photos, films, or other digital files onto a blank CD or DVD using a computer drive that writes the data with a laser.
Marcus burned his wedding photos onto a DVD for his parents.
burn + object + onto + disc
Lina spent the afternoon burning a mix CD of her favourite songs.
burn + a + disc (cognate object)
The teacher burned the class videos to a disc and handed copies out.
Carlos asked the shop to burn his old cassette tapes onto a CD.
文法句型
burn + something + onto/to + disc
burn + a disc
用法筆記
Object is typically digital content (music, photos, video, files); the disc is introduced with 'onto' or 'to'. Largely tied to optical media — sounds dated outside that context, since most file transfer now uses USB or cloud storage.
常見錯誤
14. to use up money quickly and without much care, often more than is sensible, so t
to use up money quickly and without much care, often more than is sensible, so that it is gone before you realise.
Diego burned half his salary on concert tickets in a single weekend.
burn + amount + on + something
The startup was burning cash so fast that it ran out before launch.
informal: burning cash (rapid spending)
Aunt Sofia warned the twins not to burn their birthday money on snacks.
Marcus burned a fortune trying to fix his old motorbike before giving up.
文法句型
burn + (amount of) money
burn + through + money
用法筆記
Informal; carries a mild note of disapproval — the speaker thinks the spending was wasteful or reckless. Object is almost always money, cash, savings, or a sum. Distinguish from sense 9 (USE ENERGY): that sense is about fuel or calories being consumed, not money.
常見錯誤
burn — noun
1. a sore mark on skin, or a damaged patch on an object, made when fire, hot liquid
a sore mark on skin, or a damaged patch on an object, made when fire, hot liquid, chemicals, or strong sunlight have touched it.
Maya has a small burn on her wrist from the kitchen oven.
a burn on [body part] from [heat source]
Hot soup splashed onto Carlos and left a painful burn across his chest.
left a [adjective] burn
There is an ugly cigarette burn on the wooden table by the sofa.
The nurse gently cleaned the child's burn and wrapped it in a soft bandage.
Firefighters carried a man with serious burns to the ambulance outside.
- scald
specifically a burn from very hot liquid or steam
- scorch mark
for a burnt patch on an object, not on skin
- blister
the bubble of skin that often forms after a small burn
文法句型
a burn on [body part]
suffer/get a burn
用法筆記
Countable. Often modified by an adjective showing severity (minor, serious, third-degree) or by the cause (chemical burn, sunburn, rope burn).
常見錯誤
2. in Scotland and northern England, a narrow stream of water running through field
in Scotland and northern England, a narrow stream of water running through fields or hills.
A clear burn runs through the village and down to the loch below.
a burn runs through [place]
The children jumped across the little burn behind their grandparents' farm.
jump / wade across the burn
After three days of heavy rain, the burn behind the Highland farmhouse grew wide and noisy.
Sheep often gather to drink at the burn that crosses the old stone bridge.
文法句型
a burn runs through [place]
用法筆記
Used mainly in Scottish English and parts of northern England; speakers elsewhere usually say 'stream' or 'creek' instead.
3. a sharp comment that mocks someone, especially one that is clever and makes othe
a sharp comment that mocks someone, especially one that is clever and makes other people laugh.
Lina told her brother his playlist sounded like a broken radio — what a burn!
exclamation: what a burn!
The host's reply to the rude guest was a perfect burn, and the studio audience cheered.
a perfect / sick / savage burn
Marcus laughed and said, 'That was a serious burn,' after his friend's joke.
Comedians on the show take turns trading burns about each other's old movies.
- compliment
praise rather than mockery
文法句型
What a burn!
deliver / get a burn
用法筆記
Very informal, mostly spoken. Often used as an exclamation ('Burn!' or 'What a burn!') when someone has just been mocked cleverly in front of others.
常見錯誤
4. a hot, stinging feeling in part of your body, often from spicy food, strong exer
a hot, stinging feeling in part of your body, often from spicy food, strong exercise, or contact with something irritating.
Sarah felt a sharp burn in her throat after one bite of the chilli sauce.
a [adjective] burn in [body part]
After twenty squats, the runners started to feel the burn in their legs.
idiomatic: feel the burn (exercise)
The cheap whisky left a slow burn down Daniel's chest.
Aunt Rosa rubbed her shoulder, complaining about a steady burn under the skin.
文法句型
a burn in [body part]
feel the burn
用法筆記
Usually singular and modified ('a sharp burn', 'a slow burn'). The phrase 'feel the burn' is a fixed expression about muscles working hard during exercise.