2 ADJ If someone is burnt-out , they exhaust themselves at an early stage in their life or career because they have achieved too much too quickly. [INFORMAL ] □ But everyone I know who kept it up at that intensity is burnt out.
burp /bɜː r p/ (burps , burping , burped ) VERB When someone burps , they make a noise because air from their stomach has been forced up through their throat. □ [V ] Charlie burped loudly. ● N‑COUNT Burp is also a noun. □ There followed a barely audible burp.
burqa /bɜː r kə/ also burka (burqas ) N‑COUNT A burqa is a long garment that covers the head and body and is traditionally worn by women in Islamic countries.
burr /bɜː r / (burrs ) The spelling bur is also used for meaning 1 . 1 N‑COUNT A burr is the part of some plants which contains seeds and which has little hooks on the outside so that it sticks to clothes or fur.
2 N‑COUNT [usu sing] If someone has a burr , they speak English with a regional accent in which 'r' sounds are pronounced more strongly than in the standard British way of speaking. □ …a warm West Country burr.
bur|row /bʌ roʊ, [AM ] bɜː -/ (burrows , burrowing , burrowed )
1 N‑COUNT A burrow is a tunnel or hole in the ground that is dug by an animal such as a rabbit.
2 VERB If an animal burrows into the ground or into a surface, it moves through it by making a tunnel or hole. □ [V prep/adv] The larvae burrow into cracks in the floor.
3 VERB If you burrow in a container or pile of things, you search there for something using your hands. □ [V prep/adv] He burrowed into the pile of charts feverishly.
4 VERB If you burrow into something, you move underneath it or press against it, usually in order to feel warmer or safer. □ [V prep/adv] She turned her face away from him, burrowing into her heap of covers.
bur|sar /bɜː r sə r / (bursars ) N‑COUNT The bursar of a school or college is the person who is in charge of its finance or general administration.
bur|sa|ry /bɜː r səri/ (bursaries ) N‑COUNT A bursary is a sum of money which is given to someone to allow them to study in a college or university. [mainly BRIT ]
burst ◆◇◇ /bɜː r st/ (bursts , bursting ) The form burst is used in the present tense and is the past tense and past participle. 1 VERB If something bursts or if you burst it, it suddenly breaks open or splits open and the air or other substance inside it comes out. □ [V ] The driver lost control when a tyre burst. □ [V n] It is not a good idea to burst a blister. □ [V -ed] …a flood caused by a burst pipe.
2 VERB If a dam bursts , or if something bursts it, it breaks apart because the force of the river is too great. □ [V ] A dam burst and flooded their villages. [Also V n]
3 VERB If a river bursts its banks, the water rises and goes on to the land. □ [V n] Monsoons caused the river to burst its banks.
4 VERB When a door or lid bursts open, it opens very suddenly and violently because someone pushes it or there is great pressure behind it. □ [V open ] The door burst open and an angry young nurse appeared. [Also V apart ]
5 VERB To burst into or out of a place means to enter or leave it suddenly with a lot of energy or force. □ [V prep/adv] Gunmen burst into his home and opened fire.
6 VERB If you say that something bursts onto the scene, you mean that it suddenly starts or becomes active, usually after developing quietly for some time. [JOURNALISM ] □ [V + onto/upon ] He burst onto the fashion scene in the early 1980s.
7 N‑COUNT A burst of something is a sudden short period of it. □ [+ of ] …a burst of machine-gun fire. □ The current flows in little bursts.
▸ burst into
1 PHRASAL VERB If you burst into tears, laughter, or song, you suddenly begin to cry, laugh, or sing. □ [V P n] She burst into tears and ran from the kitchen. □ [V P n] …books that cause adults to burst into helpless laughter.
2 PHRASAL VERB If you say that something bursts into a particular situation or state, you mean that it suddenly changes into that situation or state. □ [V P n] This weekend's fighting is threatening to burst into full-scale war.
3 to burst into flames → see flame
▸ burst out PHRASAL VERB If someone bursts out laughing, crying, or making another noise, they suddenly start making that noise. You can also say that a noise bursts out . □ [V P v-ing] The class burst out laughing. □ [V P ] Then the applause burst out. □ [V P + into/in ] Everyone burst out into conversation.
burst|ing /bɜː r st I ŋ/
1 ADJ [v-link ADJ ] If a place is bursting with people or things, it is full of them. □ [+ with ] The place appears to be bursting with young directors. □ [+ with ] …a terraced vegetable garden, bursting with produce.
2 ADJ [v-link ADJ with n] If you say that someone is bursting with a feeling or quality, you mean that they have a great deal of it. □ [+ with ] I was bursting with curiosity. □ [+ with ] …a character bursting with energy and vivacity.
3 ADJ If you are bursting to do something, you are very eager to do it. [INFORMAL ] □ She was bursting to tell everyone.