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burden
bur·den / ˈbərdn/ • n. 1. a load, esp. a heavy one. ∎ fig. a duty or misfortune that causes hardship, anxiety, or grief: the burden of mental illness. ∎ the main responsibility for achieving a specified aim or task: the burden of establishing that the cost was unreasonable. ∎ a ship's carrying capacity; tonnage. 2. (the burden) the main theme or gist of a speech, book, or argument: the burden of his views. • v. [tr.] (usu. be burdened) load heavily: she walked forward burdened with a wooden box. ∎ fig. cause (someone) hardship or distress: they were not yet burdened with adult responsibility. PHRASES: burden of proof the obligation to prove one's assertion.DERIVATIVES: bur·den·some / ˈ-səm/ adj. |
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"burden." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 14 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "burden." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (February 14, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-burden.html "burden." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved February 14, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-burden.html |
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Burden
Burdena fixed quantity of a commodity; a heavy load; the chorus of a song. See also charge, load, trust. Examples: burden of armour, 1595; of brass [debts], 1601; of corn, 1523; of despair, 1812; of gold, 1440; of rushes, 1560; of sin, 1303; of sorrows, 1374; of steel [120 lb.]; of thorns, 1449; of verse, 1598; of weeds, 1527. |
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"Burden." Dictionary of Collective Nouns and Group Terms. 1985. Encyclopedia.com. 14 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Burden." Dictionary of Collective Nouns and Group Terms. 1985. Encyclopedia.com. (February 14, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-2505300188.html "Burden." Dictionary of Collective Nouns and Group Terms. 1985. Retrieved February 14, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-2505300188.html |
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burden
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T. F. HOAD. "burden." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 14 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. T. F. HOAD. "burden." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (February 14, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-burden.html T. F. HOAD. "burden." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved February 14, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-burden.html |
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burden
burden Although used literally (Exod. 23: 5, NRSV) for a heavy load (REB) it is also found in a metaphorical sense for something hard to bear (e.g. royal responsibilities, Hos. 8: 10). Jesus does not inflict a heavy burden (Matt. 11: 28–30). The word is used by AV (e.g. Isa. 13: 1) for a prophetic oracle.
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W. R. F. BROWNING. "burden." A Dictionary of the Bible. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. 14 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. W. R. F. BROWNING. "burden." A Dictionary of the Bible. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. (February 14, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O94-burden.html W. R. F. BROWNING. "burden." A Dictionary of the Bible. 1997. Retrieved February 14, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O94-burden.html |
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burden
burden2 †bass, ‘undersong’; refrain XVI; chief theme XVII. Later form of BOURDON, assim. to prec. as if with the notion that the bass or the refrain was ‘carried’ by the melody or the song.
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Cite this article
T. F. HOAD. "burden." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 14 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. T. F. HOAD. "burden." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (February 14, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-burden1.html T. F. HOAD. "burden." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved February 14, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-burden1.html |
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burden
burden burden of proof the obligation to prove one's assertion; the term (translating Latin onus probandi in Roman law) is recorded from the late 16th century.
See also God makes the back to the burden, white of Chancery. |
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ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "burden." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 14 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "burden." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (February 14, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-burden.html ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "burden." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Retrieved February 14, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-burden.html |
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burden
burden, or burthen.
1. A recurring line after each stanza of a ballad, etc. 2. Drone or bass of bagpipe. |
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MICHAEL KENNEDY and JOYCE BOURNE. "burden." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 14 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. MICHAEL KENNEDY and JOYCE BOURNE. "burden." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (February 14, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O76-burden.html MICHAEL KENNEDY and JOYCE BOURNE. "burden." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music. 1996. Retrieved February 14, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O76-burden.html |
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burden
burden
•Abaddon, gladden, gladdon, Ibadan, madden, sadden
•abandon, Brandon, Rwandan, Ugandan
•Baden, Baden-Baden, Coloradan, garden, harden, lardon, Nevadan, pardon
•Wiesbaden • bear garden
•tea garden
•Armageddon, deaden, leaden, redden
•Eldon, Sheldon
•Brendan, tendon
•Dresden
•Aden, Aidan, Haydn, laden, maiden
•handmaiden
•cedarn, cotyledon, dicotyledon, Eden, monocotyledon, Sweden
•wealden
•bestridden, forbidden, hidden, midden, outridden, ridden, stridden, unbidden
•Wimbledon
•linden, Lindon, Swindon
•Wisden • Mohammedan • Myrmidon
•harridan • hagridden • Sheridan
•bedridden • Macedon • Huntingdon
•Dryden, guidon, Leiden, Poseidon, Sidon, widen
•Culloden, hodden, modern, sodden, trodden
•Cobden • downtrodden
•Auden, broaden, cordon, Gordon, Hordern, Jordan, warden
•churchwarden • louden • bounden
•loden, Snowdon
•beholden, embolden, golden, olden
•hoyden • Bermudan • wooden
•Mukden • gulden • sudden
•Blunden, London
•Riordan • bourdon • bombardon
•celadon • Clarendon
•burden, guerdon
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Cite this article
"burden." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 14 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "burden." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (February 14, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-burden.html "burden." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved February 14, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-burden.html |
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