burn

verb (DAMAGE)

/bɜːn/

/bɝːn/ (burnt or burned, burnt or burned)

Definition

B1 [I or T] to be hurt, damaged, or destroyed by fire or extreme heat, or to cause this to happen: He was badly burned in the blaze. She burned his old love letters. The brandy burned (= felt too hot on) my throat. On her first day in the Caribbean Josie was badly burned (= her skin became red and painful from too much sun). Fair-skinned people burn easily in the sun. Unable to escape, six people were burned alive/burned to death (= died by burning) in the building. The vegetables were burned to a crisp (= badly burned).Burning, burnt and on fire › [T always passive] to cause emotional pain or damage to someoneMaking people sad, shocked and upset burn sb at the stake › to kill someone by tying them to a post and burning themDeath penalties burn sth to the ground › to completely destroy a building by fire: The building was burned to the ground ten years ago.Burning, burnt and on fire

(Definition of burn verb (DAMAGE) from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)