burden
A heavy load.
Noun 4 meanings
A heavy load.
A responsibility, onus.
A cause of worry; that which is grievous, wearisome, or oppressive.
“c. 1710-1730, Jonathan Swift, The Dean's Complaint Translated and Answered Deaf, giddy, helpless, left alone, / To all my friends a burden grown.”
The capacity of a vessel, or the weight of cargo that she will carry.
“a ship of a hundred tons burden”
Verb 2 meanings
To encumber with a burden.
“to burden a nation with taxes”
To impose, as a load or burden; to lay or place as a burden (something heavy or objectionable).
Etymology
Inherited from Middle English birthene, birthen, birden, from Old English byrden, byrþen, from Proto-West Germanic *burþini, from *burþī, from Proto-Germanic *burþį̄, from Proto-Indo-European *bʰer- (“to carry, bear”).
BURDEN at a glance
BURDEN has 6 letters and scores 9 points in Scrabble (B 3 + U 1 + R 1 + D 2 + E 1 + N 1) and 12 in Words With Friends, before board bonuses. It ranks #4,741 by how often it appears in everyday English. It is valid in ENABLE, NWL2023, Collins/SOWPODS.
Rhymes with burden
All rhymesOne letter away
- HURDEN10
- LURDEN7
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