Burnett, Frances Hodgson 178
the back burner to delay dealing with something until a later time → see also BUNSEN BURNER; see COOK (USAGE)
Bur-nett, Fran-ces Hodg-son /bɜːnɛt, ˈbɜːnət||-ˈɜːr-, ˈfrænsɪs ˈhɒdʒsən||ˈfrænsɪs ˈhɑːdʒ-/ (1849–1924) an American writer born in England, best known for her children's books Little Lord Fauntleroy and The Secret Garden
burn-ing /ˈbɜːnɪŋ||ˈbɜːr-/ adj [A] 1 on fire: a burning house | (fig.) burning cheeks (=cheeks that are hot and red) | (fig.) a burning (=very strong) interest in science | (fig.) a burning ambition 2 producing a sensation of great heat or fire: a burning fever | a burning sensation on the tongue | burning sands 3 very important and urgent: Mass unemployment is one of the burning questions/issues of our time. 4 the boy stood on the burning deck quote a well-known phrase from a poem by Felicia Hemans
bur-nish /ˈbɜːnɪʃ||ˈbɜːr-/ v [T] to polish (especially metal), usually with something hard and smooth: burnished brass
bur-nous, burnouse || also burnoose AmE /bɜːnuːs||bːr-/ n a long one-piece loose outer garment worn by Arabs, with a soft covering for the head, neck, and shoulders
burn-out /ˈbɜːnaʊt||bɜːrn-/ n [C;U] 1 the moment when the engine of a ROCKET or JET uses up all its FUEL and stops operating 2 a state in which your health has been ruined by too much work, pressure etc
Burns, George /bɜːnz||bɜːrnz/ (1896–1996) a US COMEDIAN and actor who was popular in VAUDEVILLE, on radio, and on television. He was known for always smoking a cigar and for talking to the AUDIENCE (=the people watching).
Burns, Rob-ert /ˈrɒbət||ˈrɑːbərt/ (1759–96) a Scottish poet who wrote in the SCOTS dialect and is regarded as Scotland's national poet. He wrote about love, country life, and national pride, and his best-known poems include Tam o' Shanter and To a Mouse. Scottish people all over the world celebrate his birthday on 25 January, Burns Night.
burnt /bɜːnt||bɜːrnt/ past tense and participle of BURN → see BURN¹ (USAGE)
,burnt 'offering n 1 something (usually a plant or animal) which is burnt as an offering to a god 2 humor food that has been accidentally burnt during cooking
burp /bɜːp||bɜːrp/ v infml 1 [I] to BELCH 2 [T] to help (a baby) to get rid of stomach gas, especially by rubbing or gently striking the back —burp n
burr¹ /bɜːr/ n [S] 1 a long loud sound of humming (HUM): the burr of a sewing machine 2 a way of pronouncing English with a strong 'r'-sound: She speaks with a soft rural burr.
burr², bur n a seed-container of certain plants, covered with PRICKLES which make it stick onto clothes
Bur-rell, Paul /ˈbrəl||ˈbːr-/ (1958–) a British man who was the BUTLER (=most important male servant) to Diana, Princess of Wales, until her death in 1997. In 2001, he was arrested and charged with stealing things that belonged to the Princess. The case was later dropped after the Queen said that she remembered a conversation in which she told Burrell that he could have the items. He has also written a book about the time he spent with Diana called A Royal Duty.
'Burrell Col,lection an art collection in Glasgow, Scotland, given to the city by Sir William Burrell
bur-ri-to /bəˈriːtəʊ/ n pl. -tos a type of hot SANDWICH made with a TORTILLA which is folded around meat or beans and cheese
bur-ro /ˈbʊrəʊ||ˈbɜːrəʊ/ n pl. -ros especially AmE a DONKEY, usually a small one
Bur-roughs, Ed-gar Rice /ˈbʌrəʊz||ˈbɜːr-, ˈedgər raɪs/ (1875–1950) a US writer, known for his stories about TARZAN
Burroughs, William (1914–97) a US writer who wrote about subjects such as drugs, death, and HOMOSEXUALITY. His most famous novel is The Naked Lunch (1959).
bur-row¹ /ˈbʌrəʊ||ˈbɜːrəʊ/ n a hole in the ground made by an animal, especially a rabbit, as a place to live in
burrow² v 1 [+adv/prep;T] to make or move by digging: The rabbits burrowed through the hillside/under the fence. | to burrow a hole | They burrowed their way under the hill. 2 [T+obj+adv/prep] to move or press as if looking for warmth, safety, or love: She burrowed her head into my shoulder. 3 [+adv/prep] to search for something as if by digging: She burrowed in her pocket for a handkerchief. | What are you burrowing around in my drawer for?
bur-sar /ˈbɜːsə||ˈbɜːrsər-/ n especially BrE a person in a college or school who is responsible for the accounts, buildings etc
bur-sa-ry /ˈbɜːsəri||ˈbɜːrsər-/ n especially BrE 1 a bursar's office 2 a SCHOLARSHIP
burst¹ /bɜːst||bɜːrst/ v burst 1 [I;T] to (cause to) break open or break apart suddenly and violently, usually as a result of pressure from within and often causing the contents to become widely scattered: We drove over some glass and one of our tyres burst. | After ten days of rain the river burst its banks and flooded the valley. | to burst a balloon | (fig.) You'll burst if you eat any more of that cake. | (fig.) The storm burst (=suddenly started) and we all got wet. | (fig.) I felt as if my heart would burst (with grief/joy). → see also BREAK (USAGE) and see also fit to burst (FIT²) 2 [+adv/prep;T+obj+adv/prep] to (cause to) come into the stated condition suddenly and often violently: He burst free (from the chains). | The police burst through the door/came bursting into the room. | In spring the young flowers burst open. 3 [(with)] only in progressive forms) to be so full as to be almost breaking open: The town is bursting with tourists. | [+to-v] She's bursting to tell you the news. | The bus was full to bursting point. | (fig.) bursting with pride/joy 4 burst at the seams to be extremely and usually uncomfortably full: I've had so much to eat that I'm bursting at the seams. | There were so many people that the hall was bursting at the seams. 5 burst the bubble also prick the bubble BrE to do something that ends a happy or successful situation or that destroys someone's happiness or hope: The Sharks went into the game with confidence, but the Penguins burst the bubble by beating them 5–3. | Cathy refused to let Edward's bad mood prick the bubble of happiness.
burst in on/upon sbdy./sthg. phr v [T] to interrupt suddenly and usually noisily: They burst in on me while I was working. | to burst in on someone's thoughts
burst into sthg. phr v [T] 1 to begin suddenly to 'make (a sound with the voice), especially when laughing, crying, or singing: to burst into tears (=start crying) | to burst into song/laughter 2 burst into flames to begin burning suddenly and uncontrollably
burst out phr v 1 [+v-ing] to begin suddenly (to use the voice without speaking): They burst out laughing/crying. 2 [T] to say suddenly and with strong feeling: 'I don't believe it!' she burst out angrily. → see also OUTBURST
burst² n 1 an act or result of bursting: a burst in the water pipes 2 [(of)] a sudden short period of great activity, loud noise, strong feeling; outbreak: a burst of laughter/thunder/applause/machinegun fire | With a final burst of speed she overtook the leading runner and won the race.
bur-then /ˈbɜːðən||ˈbɜːr-/ n, v lit for BURDEN
bur-ton /ˈbɜːtən||ˈbɜːrtən/ n (often cap.) gone for a Burton BrE slang lost, broken, or killed: The radio's gone for a burton.
Burton, Richard (1925–84) a Welsh film and theatre actor, regarded as one of the best of his time. He was married twice to Elizabeth Taylor, and the marriages attracted almost as much attention as his acting.
Burton, Tim /tɪm/ (1958–) an American film DIRECTOR and PRODUCER whose films include Batman, Edward Scissorhands, and Sleepy Hollow
Bu-run-di /bʊˈrʊndi/ a mountainous country in east central Africa, surrounded by Rwanda, Tanzania, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Population: 6,096,156 (2000). Capital: Bujumbura. In many people's minds, Burundi is connected with the violence between the Tutsi and Hutu tribes during the mid-1990s, which led to many deaths —dian n, adj
bur-y /ˈberi/ v [T] 1 to put (a dead body) into a grave: Both my grandparents were buried here. | (fig.) to bury an old quarrel 2 [(in)] to hide or cover over, especially with earth: The dog has buried a bone. | buried treasure | The climbers were buried under an avalanche of rocks. | (fig.) The true facts are buried in a secret government report. | She was sitting with her head buried in a newspaper. | (fig.) He buried his hands in his pockets. | buried in thought 3 bury the hatchet to become friends again after a quarrel 4 I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him quote a phrase from Shakespeare