Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Characterized by or causing combustion: Describes something that is on fire or actively undergoing combustion.
   • Intense; passionate; urgent: Describes a feeling, desire, or issue that is extremely strong, fervent, or of immediate importance.

2. Noun:

   • The act or process of something being consumed by fire: The event of combustion.
   • A sensation of intense heat or pain: A feeling as if caused by fire.
   • An execution method involving fire or electricity: Capital punishment by burning or electrocution.
   • A form of torture using heat: Inflicting pain by applying hot objects to the skin.

Examples of Usage

• Adjective:

  • The firefighters approached the burning building cautiously. (Describing a structure on fire.)
  • She had a burning ambition to become a doctor. (Describing an intense, passionate desire.)
  • Climate change is a burning issue for our generation. (Describing an urgent, critical matter.)

• Noun:

  • The burning of the old documents took several hours. (Referring to the act of incineration.)
  • He felt a burning in his throat after eating the spicy food. (Referring to a hot, painful sensation.)
  • In some historical periods, heretics faced death by burning. (Referring to execution by fire.)

Advanced Usage

• "Burning question": A question that someone is very eager or anxious to have answered.

  • The burning question on everyone's mind was who would be the new CEO.

• "Burning desire": An extremely strong and passionate wish.

  • He had a burning desire to travel the world.

• "Burning with": To be filled with a very strong emotion.

  • She was burning with curiosity about the secret letter.

Variants and Related Words

• Burn (verb/noun): The base form meaning to be on fire or to destroy by fire.

  • Verb: Paper burns easily. Noun: He suffered a burn on his hand.

• Burner (noun): A device that produces a flame (e.g., on a stove).

  • Turn off the gas burner.

• Burnable (adjective): Capable of being burned.

  • Burnable waste should be separated from recyclables.

Synonyms

• Adjective (intense): Ardent, fervent, passionate, urgent, critical.
• Noun (combustion): Combustion, conflagration, fire, incineration.
• Noun (pain): Sting, smarting, soreness.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Burn down: To destroy completely by fire.

  • The old factory burned down last night.

• Burn out: To stop functioning from overheating; to become exhausted from overwork.

  • The engine burned out. / Many healthcare workers are burning out.

• Burn up: To be consumed by flames; to make someone very angry.

  • The satellite will burn up upon re-entry. / His rude comments really burned me up.

Related Idioms

• Burn the midnight oil: To work or study late into the night.

  • She had to burn the midnight oil to finish her thesis.

• Burn your bridges: To destroy relationships or opportunities, making it impossible to return to a previous situation.

  • By insulting his boss, he burned his bridges at the company.

• Have money to burn: To have so much money that you can spend it carelessly.

  • He buys a new car every year; he must have money to burn.

Adjective

1. of immediate import
   • burning issues of the day

Noun

1. a form of torture in which cigarettes or cigars or other hot implements are used to burn the victim's skin
2. execution by fire
3. execution by electricity
4. a process in which a substance reacts with oxygen to give heat and light
5. pain that feels hot as if it were on fire
6. the act of burning something
   • the burning of leaves was prohibited by a town ordinance