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Definition of burden noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

burden

noun
 OPAL W
 
/ˈbɜːdn/
 
/ˈbɜːrdn/
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  1.  
    a duty, responsibility, etc. that causes worry, difficulty or hard work
    • to bear/carry/ease/reduce/share the burden
    • the burden (of something) The main burden of caring for old people falls on the state.
    • burden on somebody the heavy tax burden on working people
    • a burden to somebody I don't want to become a burden to my children when I'm old.
    Topics Difficulty and failurec1
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • enormous
    • great
    • heavy
    • …
    verb + burden
    • bear
    • carry
    • assume
    • …
    burden + verb
    • fall on somebody/​something
    preposition
    • burden for
    • burden of
    • burden on
    • …
    phrases
    • the burden of proof
    • have a burden on your shoulders
    • the burden of doing something
    • …
    See full entry
  2. (formal) a heavy load that is difficult to carry see also beast of burden
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverb + burden
    • carry
    • pick up
    • lay down
    • …
    phrases
    • a beast of burden
    See full entry
    3. Word OriginOld English byrthen, of West Germanic origin; related to the verb bear.
See burden in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee burden in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English
Check pronunciation: burden

Nearby words

dizzy
adjective
 
 
From the Topic
Health problems
C1
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