1. A process in which a substance reacts with oxygen to give heat and light
   "The burning of fossil fuels releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere";
   - combustion
    
2. The act of burning something
   "the burning of leaves was prohibited by a town ordinance";
   - combustion
    
3. Pain that feels hot as if it were on fire
   "He felt a burning sensation in his throat after eating spicy food";
   - burn
    
4. Execution by electricity
   "The state used burning as a method of capital punishment until it was outlawed";
   - electrocution
    
5. Execution by fire
   "Joan of Arc was sentenced to burning at the stake in 1431";
   - burning at the stake
    
6. A form of torture in which cigarettes, cigars or other hot implements are used to burn the victim's skin
   "The burning of prisoners was considered a war crime"

1. Flaming as it burns
   "forests set burning by lightning";
   - ablaze, afire [literary], aflame, aflare [rare], alight, on fire, in flames
    
2. With strong feeling or passion
   "a burning desire for revenge"
    
3. Of immediate import
   "burning issues of the day"

1. Undergo combustion
   "Maple wood burns well";
   - combust
    
2. Destroy by fire
   "They burned the house and his diaries";
   - fire, burn down
    
3. Shine intensely, as if with heat
   "The candles were burning";
   - glow
    
4. Cause to undergo combustion
   "The car burns only Diesel oil"; "burn garbage";
   - incinerate
    
5. Cause to burn or combust
   "The sun burned off the fog";
   - combust
    
6. Damage by burning with heat, fire, or radiation
   "The sun burned her fair skin during the beach vacation"
    
7. Feel strong emotion, especially anger or passion
   "She was burning with anger"; "He was burning to try out his new skis"
    
8. Spend (significant amounts of money)
   "He has money to burn"
    
9. Execute by tying to a stake and setting alight
   "Witches were burned in Salem"
    
10. Burn, sear, or freeze (tissue) using a hot iron or electric current or a caustic agent
    "The surgeon burned the wart";
    - cauterize, cauterise [Brit]
     
11. Get a sunburn by overexposure to the sun
    "He burned easily and had to be careful at the beach";
    - sunburn
     
12. Create by duplicating data
    "burn a CD";
    - cut
     
13. Use up (energy)
    "burn off calories through vigorous exercise"; "burn up calories through vigorous exercise";
    - burn off, burn up
     
14. Cause a sharp or stinging pain or discomfort
    "The sun burned his face";
    - bite, sting
     
15. [informal] Strongly criticize
    "she was burnd for being fat";
    - slate [Brit, informal], tear to shreds [informal], slam [informal], roast [informal]
     
16. Feel hot or painful
    "My eyes are burning"

Derived forms: burnings

See also: important, lighted, lit, of import

Type of: ache, alter, beam, blow [informal], capital punishment, care for, change, change integrity, change of integrity, change state, color [US], colour [Brit, Cdn], consume, create, damage, death penalty, deplete, destroy, discolor [US], discolour [Brit, Cdn], eat, eat up, execute, executing, execution, exhaust, expend, experience, feel, hurt, hurting, make, modify, oxidation, oxidisation [Brit], oxidization, pain, produce, put to death, ruin, run through, shine, smart, squander, torture, torturing, treat, turn, use, use up, waste, wipe out

Encyclopedia: Burning