To burn is to be on fire or to damage something with heat or flames. It can also describe strong feelings, like burning desire, or the way fuel is used to produce energy.
From Old English “beornan” (intransitive) and “bærnan” (transitive), meaning “to be on fire” and “to set on fire.” Related to other Germanic words about burning and heat.
Burning is really atoms rearranging at high speed—fire is chemistry you can see. When we talk about “burning calories” or “burning with anger,” we’re borrowing that intense, transforming energy for our inner lives.
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