Burin, būr′in, n. a kind of chisel of tempered steel, used in copper engraving—the distinctive style of a master is frequently described by such expressions as a soft, a graphic, or a brilliant burin.—n. Bur′inist, an engraver. [Fr.; from root of Bore.]
Burke, burk, v.t. to murder, esp. by stifling: hence (fig.) to put an end to quietly. [From Burke, an Edinburgh Irishman (hanged 1829), who committed the crime in order to sell the bodies of his victims for dissection.]
Burl, burl, n. a small knot in thread, a knot in wood.—v.t. to pick knots, &c., from, in finishing cloth.—ns. Bur′ling-ī′ron; Bur′ling-machine′.—adj. Bur′ly, knotty.
Burlap, bur′lap, n. a coarse canvas for wrappings, &c.—usually in pl. [Origin unknown.]
Burlesque, bur-lesk′, n. a ludicrous representation—in speaking, acting, writing, drawing—a low and rude grade of the comic, whose legitimate office is to turn to laughter pretension and affectation.—adj. jocular: comical.—v.t. to turn into burlesque: to ridicule.—p.adj. Burlesqued′, caricatured.—adv. Burlesque′ly. [It. burlesco; prob. from Low L. burra, a flock of wool, a trifle.]
Burletta, bur-let′a, n. a musical farce: comic opera. [It.;—dim. of burla, a jest.]
Burly, bur′li, adj. bulky: boisterous, bluff.—n. Bur′liness. [M. E. borlich; prob. Old High Ger. burlīh, high, bōr, a height.]
Burmese, bur′mēz, adj. relating to Burma in Farther India, or its language.—n. a native of Burma, or the language of Burma—also Bur′man.
Burn, burn, n. a small stream or brook: a spring or fountain. [A.S. burna; cog. with Dut. and Ger. born.]
Burn, burn, v.t. to consume or injure by fire.—v.i. to be on fire: to feel excess of heat: to be inflamed with passion:—pa.p. burned or burnt.—n. a hurt or mark caused by fire.—ns. Burn′er, the part of a lamp or gas-jet from which the flame arises; Burn′ing, act of consuming by fire: conflagration: inflammation.—adj. very hot: scorching: ardent: excessive.—ns. Burn′ing-glass, a convex lens concentrating the sun's rays at its focus; Burn′ing-house, a kiln; Burn′ing-mirr′or, a concave mirror for producing heat by concentrating the sun's rays; Burn′ing-point, the temperature at which a volatile oil in an open vessel will take fire from a match held close to its surface; Burnt′-ear, a kind of smut in oats, wheat, &c., caused by a microscopic fungus; Burnt′-off′ering, something offered and burned upon an altar as a sacrifice—amongst the Hebrews, apparently offerings of dedication and to some extent of expiation; Burnt′-sienn′a (see Sienna); Burn′-the-wind (Scot.), a blacksmith.—Burn a hole in one's pocket, said of money, when one is eager to spend it; Burn blue, to burn with a bluish flame like that of brimstone; Burn daylight (Shak.), to waste time in superfluous actions; Burn down, to burn to the ground; Burn in, to eat into, as fire: to fix and render durable, as colours, by means of intense heat, to imprint indelibly on the mind; Burning bush, the emblem of the Presbyterian churches of Scotland, with the motto, 'Nec tamen consumebatur,' adopted from Ex. iii. 2, in memory of the unconquerable courage of the Covenanters under the cruel persecutions of the 17th century; Burning question, one being keenly discussed; Burn one's boats, to cut one's self off, as Cortes did, from all chance of retreat, to stake everything on success; Burn one's fingers, to suffer from interfering in others' affairs, from embarking in speculations, &c.; Burn out, to destroy by means of burning: to burn till the fire dies down from want of fuel; Burn the water, to spear salmon by torchlight; Burn up, to consume completely by fire: to be burned completely. [A.S.; the weak verb bœrnan, bœrnde, bœrned, has been confused with beornan, byrnan, barn, bornen; cf. Ger. brennen, to burn.]