1. An onerous or difficult concern
   "the burden of responsibility";
   - load, encumbrance, incumbrance, onus
    
2. Weight to be borne or conveyed
   "The camel carried a substantial burden across the desert";
   - load, loading
    
3. The central meaning or theme of a speech or literary work
   "The burden of his argument was that climate change requires immediate action";
   - effect, essence, core, gist
    
4. The central idea that is expanded in a document or discourse
   "The burden of his speech was the need for education reform"
    
5. [archaic] The refrain or chorus of a song
   "The burden of the song was repeated after each verse"

1. Impose a task upon, assign a responsibility to
   "He burdened her with cleaning up all the files over the weekend";
   - charge, saddle, lumber [Brit, informal]
    
2. Add a heavy load; increase the weight of a load
   "They burdened down the tarp with rocks to prevent it from blowing away";
   - burthen, weight, weight down

Derived forms: burdened, burdening, burdens

Type of: charge, command, concern, headache, idea, import, meaning, require, significance, signification, thought, vexation, weight, worry

Antonym: disburden

Encyclopedia: Burden, Kansas