Let It Burn
- David Fisher
- Nov 11
- 2 min read
When the past holds you back, let it burn and walk into your future
The English word burn is one of those wonderfully flexible English words with many meanings and uses, both literal and figurative. Let’s break them down by type and context.
Burn - Literal Meanings
Combustion / Fire
Definition: To be on fire, to consume something with flames.
Examples - The wood is burning in the fireplace. She burned the letters after reading them.
Injury by Heat or Fire
Definition: To damage skin or material by heat, flame, or chemicals.
Examples - He burned his hand on the stove.The acid burned through the fabric.
Use of Fuel or Energy
Definition: To consume energy, fuel, or calories.
Examples - This car burns a lot of gas. Running burns calories.
Burn - Metaphorical and Figurative Meanings
Emotional Intensity
Definition: To feel strong emotions like passion, anger, or desire.
Examples - She burns with ambition. He was burning with jealousy.
Embarrassment or Humiliation
Definition: To feel emotionally hurt, embarrassed, or insulted.
Examples - That comment really burned him. She gave him a burn so harsh that everyone laughed.
To Be Destroyed or Wasted
Definition: To ruin or waste something completely.
Examples - He burned his bridges when he insulted his boss. They burned through all their savings in six months.
Burn - Technological and Modern Uses
Burning Discs
Definition: To write data onto a CD or DVD.
Example - I need to burn this movie onto a disc.
Computing or Engineering
Burn rate: How quickly money or resources are used (especially in startups).
Example - Our burn rate is too high, we’ll run out of cash by next quarter.
Using Burn As a Noun
A Wound or Damage - She suffered third-degree burns.
Stream or Small River - We crossed the burn on our hike.
Sick burn (slang) - Ouch! That was a burn! (Meaning a sharp or witty insult.)
Burn - Phrasal Verbs and Expressions
burn down - to destroy by fire - the old mill burned down.
burn out - to become exhausted - he burned out after working 45 hours a day for 6 weeks.
burn up - to become very hot - I'm burning up in this hot weather.
burn with - emotional intensity - he burned with shame.
burn through - to use something quickly - we burned through our marketing plan in a week.
Idioms Using Burn
Burn the midnight oil → work late into the night.
Burn one’s bridges → destroy your path back or past relationships.
Burn a hole in your pocket → money that you’re eager to spend.
Get burned → suffer from a mistake or betrayal.
Burn bright / burn out → shine intensely but briefly.
-------------------------
English For Israel is here for you
Business English tuition & Professional English CVs
or
Telephone 053 7120720
Comments