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burden

bur·den
B b

Transcription

    • US Pronunciation
    • US IPA
    • UK Pronunciation
    • UK IPA
    • [bur-dn]
    • /ˈbɜr dn/
    • /ˈbɜː.dən/
    • US Pronunciation
    • US IPA
    • [bur-dn]
    • /ˈbɜr dn/

Definitions of burden word

  • countable noun burden If you describe a problem or a responsibility as a burden, you mean that it causes someone a lot of difficulty, worry, or hard work. 3
  • countable noun burden A burden is a heavy load that is difficult to carry. 3
  • verb burden If someone burdens you with something that is likely to worry you, for example a problem or a difficult decision, they tell you about it. 3
  • noun burden something that is carried; load 3
  • noun burden something that is exacting, oppressive, or difficult to bear 3
  • noun burden the cargo capacity of a ship 3

Information block about the term

Origin of burden

First appearance:

before 1000
One of the 6% oldest English words
before 1000; Middle English, variant of burthen, Old English byrthen; akin to German Bürde, Gothic baurthei; see bear1

Historical Comparancy

Parts of speech for Burden

noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation

burden popularity

A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 88% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.
Most Europeans know this English word. The frequency of it’s usage is somewhere between "mom" and "screwdriver".

burden usage trend in Literature

This diagram is provided by Google Ngram Viewer

Synonyms for burden

noun burden

  • load — anything put in or on something for conveyance or transportation; freight; cargo: The truck carried a load of watermelons.
  • duty — something that one is expected or required to do by moral or legal obligation.
  • onus — a difficult or disagreeable obligation, task, burden, etc.
  • hardship — a condition that is difficult to endure; suffering; deprivation; oppression: a life of hardship.
  • strain — to draw tight or taut, especially to the utmost tension; stretch to the full: to strain a rope.

verb burden

  • hinder — to cause delay, interruption, or difficulty in; hamper; impede: The storm hindered our progress.
  • depress — If someone or something depresses you, they make you feel sad and disappointed.
  • weigh down — to determine or ascertain the force that gravitation exerts upon (a person or thing) by use of a balance, scale, or other mechanical device: to weigh oneself; to weigh potatoes; to weigh gases.
  • afflict — If you are afflicted by pain, illness, or disaster, it affects you badly and makes you suffer.
  • overwhelm — to overcome completely in mind or feeling: overwhelmed by remorse.

Antonyms for burden

noun burden

  • aid — Aid is money, equipment, or services that are provided for people, countries, or organizations who need them but cannot provide them for themselves.
  • advantage — An advantage is something that puts you in a better position than other people.
  • assistance — If you give someone assistance, you help them do a job or task by doing part of the work for them.
  • tranquility — quality or state of being tranquil; calmness; peacefulness; quiet; serenity.
  • calmness — without rough motion; still or nearly still: a calm sea.

verb burden

  • assist — If you assist someone, you help them to do a job or task by doing part of the work for them.
  • further — at or to a great distance; a long way off; at or to a remote point: We sailed far ahead of the fleet.
  • permit — to allow to do something: Permit me to explain.
  • comfort — If you are doing something in comfort, you are physically relaxed and contented, and are not feeling any pain or other unpleasant sensations.
  • delight — Delight is a feeling of very great pleasure.

Top questions with burden

  • what is the white man's burden?
  • what does burden mean?
  • what was the white man's burden?
  • what does burden of proof mean?
  • what is a burden?
  • what is the white mans burden?
  • what is the burden of proof in a criminal trial?
  • who wrote the white man's burden?
  • what was the white mans burden?
  • who has the burden of proof?
  • what is burden of proof?
  • who has the burden of proof in a civil case?
  • what is a beast of burden?
  • what is burden?
  • how do you spell burden?

See also

Matching words

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