burin 
In etching, bitten lines, or line* made with the dry-point, 
are Imperfect or weak, the burin Is used to rciuiir or 
strengthen them. 
2. The manner or style of execution of an 
engraver: BH, a soft burin; a brilliant burin. 
3. A steel graver used by marble-workers. 
Also spelled biirini: 
burinist (Im'rin-ist), w. [< burin + -ist.] One 
who uses a burin ; an engraver. 
Alt the grent original btirinixt* iliil not invent, but TV- 
produced with the burin. '/'/" . I mi'rii -mi, \. l.'l. 
buri-nut (bu'ri-nut), . [< bun', native name, 
+ nut.] Tho plum-liko fruit of I'arinarium 
laurinum, a rosaceous tree of the Fiji islands. 
The kernels are t>oateii up into a cement of the consis- 
tency of putty, which is used for stopping holes in canoes, 
tlxinx' N" -:ii- hr.iiU to the shafts, etc. 
burion (bu'ri-on), n. [Origin uncertain; per- 
haps a corruption of Sp. (Mex.) giarion, a spar- 
row.] A name of the house-finch, Carpodacus 
/nut tali*; an abundant and familiar fringilline 
bird of the southwestern United States, almost 
domesticated in the towns. It resembles the com- 
mon purple nnch, C. jnirpureti*, but is smaller, with a 
stouter bill and more vivid crimson-red markings, which 
are restricted to definite areas on the head, back, and 
breast. 
buriti (bu-ri-te'), n. [Pg. buriti, miriti; a Braz. 
(Tupi-Guaraui) word, also written burity, mu- 
riti, murity, miriti, tnoriclii, m urn-lit, muriche, 
moriehe, applied to the palms Mauritia flexuosa 
and M. vinifera; according to Hartt, < ymyrti 
or ymbyrd, a tree, + etf, true.] One of the 
largest of the South American palms, Mauritia 
vinifera, often growing to a height of 125 feet, 
the stem being crowned with a thick round 
head of very large fan-shaped leaves. A single 
bunch of tin- fruit weigits more than one hundred pounds. 
The trees grow in vast numbers on swampy land, from 
southern Brazil to the West Indies. The natives cut 
them down, and make cavities in the sterna to obtain 
the sweet sap which accumulates in them ; If allowed to 
ferment, a vinous liquor may be made from this sap, and 
even sugar has been obtained from It Hence the name 
wine-palm, commonly given to the tree. The pulp be- 
tween the nut and the outer covering of the fruit is some- 
times eaten, and a beverage is prepared by rubbing the 
pulp in water. The pith of the leaf-stem Is used in lieu 
of cork, and its hard covering for making baskets. Cords 
are made of fibers from the young leaves, and rough 
thatches are constructed of the older leaves. 
burk (berk), . Another spelling of birk, dia- 
lectal variant of birch. 
burka (ber'ka), n. [Russ. burka.] A short 
round cloak made of felt or very coarse woolen 
stuff, used as a protection against rain in Rus- 
sia, Poland, and Moldavia. Also burga. 
burke (berk), v. t. ; pret. and pp. burked, ppr. 
burking. [From the name of an Irishman in 
Edinburgh who committed the crime repeated- 
ly, and was tried and executed in 1829.] 1. 
To murder by suffocation in order to sell the 
body for dissection. This method was selected 
because it left no marks of violence upon the 
victims. 
"You don't mean to say he was burked, Sam?" said Mr. 
Pickwick. Dickera, Pickwick. 
The rest of the rascals jumped on him and Burked him. 
Barham, Ingoldsby Legends, I. 273. 
2. Figuratively, to smother; shelve; get rid 
of by some indirect mauoauver: as, to burke a 
parliamentary question. 
burker (ber'k6r), n. One who burkes. 
Burke's Act. See act. 
burking (ber'king), . [Verbal n. of burke, v.] 
The practice of killing persons for the purpose 
of selling the bodies for dissection. 
burl 1 (berl), n. [< ME. burle, appar. < OF. dial. 
bouril, bourril, flocks or ends of thread which 
disfigure cloth (Wedgwood), < bourre, < ML. 
burra, a flock of wool, coarse hair, etc.: see 
burl. Cf. burlet.] 1. A small knot <t lump 
in thread, whether woven into cloth or not. 
2. A knot or an excrescence on walnut and 
other trees, used for ornamental veneering. 
burl 1 (b6rl), t'. t. [Early mod. E. burle; < burll, 
n.] 1. To pick knots, loose threads, etc., 
from, as in finishing cloth ; specifically, to pick 
(wool) by hand. 2f. To cleanse (cloth), as 
with fullers' earth or a similar substance. 
To tome thru to the mysterie of fuller's craft, first they 
wash and scour a piece of cloth with the earth of Sardinia, 
then they perfume it with the smoke of brimstone, which 
done, they fall anon to burlintj it with cimolia. 
Holland, tr. of Pliny, xxxr. 17. 
burl 2 t, i'. ' [ME. burlen, contr. of burbh-n, bub- 
ble, welter: see burble. Cf. D. borrelen, bub- 
ble, guzzle (borrel, a bubble, a dram), = LG. 
burrcln, bubble, gush.] To welter. 
Many a )>olde baron In that place 
Lay btirtituit yn his own blode. 
Erie of Toloui (RiUon's Metr. Rom., II.), 1. 98. 
Urtivs lay fnti-liint/ in hur blode. 
Lt Bum- Murfnce (Kitson's Metr. Rom., III.), 1. 1U39. 
727 
burl' 2 (berl), n. [A contr. of burble, n., '2, in 
same sense.] A pimple. [Prov. Eng.] 
burl :) , r. Same as birl 1 . 
Be told me to burl out the beer, as he was in a hurry, 
and I bttrled out a glass and gave it to him. 
London Tit***, Law Reports. 
burlace (ber'las), n. [Contr. of burdelaix, q. v.] 
A sort of grape. 
burlap (ber'lap), n. [Formerly borelap; origin 
unknown. The form suggests a contr. of ME. 
borel, E. burrel, a coarse cloth, + lamien, lap, 
wrap. Referred by some to G. baruipp, club- 
moss, Lycopodium clavatum, lit. bear's paw (cf. 
NL. Lycopodium, wolfs-foot), < bar, =E. bear 2 , 
+ lapp, < OHG. lappo, the flat hand.] A coarse 
heavy material made of jute, flax, hemp, or ma- 
nila, and used for wrappings and in uphol- 
stery : commonly in the plural, 
burlaw, . See byrlaw. 
burledt, a. [ME., possibly for "barruled, equiv. 
to AF. barrule : see barruly.] In her., striped. 
Under was A serpent of verlte, 
A taill burled had of siluer and Asure. 
Rom. of Partenay (E. E. T. H.), 1. S492. 
With ailuer And Asure the tail burlul was. 
Rum. of Partenay (E. E. T. .), I. 280D. 
burler 1 (ber'ler), . [< bur/1 + -!.] One who 
burls cloth. 
burler 2 (ber'ler), n. [< burl*. = birfl, + -er^.] 
In Cumberland, England, the master of the 
revels at a wedding-feast, whose duty is to see 
that the guests are well furnished with drink. 
Breieer. 
burlesque (ber-lesk'), a. and n. [Formerly 
also burlesk; = G. Dan. Sw. burlesk, < F. bur- 
lesque, < It. burlesco, ludicrous, < burla, a jest, 
mockery, raillery, perhaps dim. of LL. burra, 
?1. burra;, jests, trifling, nonsense: see bur 1 .] 
, a. Tending to excite laughter by a ludicrous 
contrast between the subject and the manner of 
treating it, as when a serious subject is treated 
ridiculously or a trifling one with solemnity. 
It is a dispute among the critics whether burletHjtv pot-t- 
ry runs best in heroic verse, like that of the Dispensary, 
or in doggerel, like that of Hudihras. 
Adilimn, Spectator, No. 249. 
II. n. 1. A burlesque literary or dramatic 
composition; travesty; caricature. 
Burletnjue is therefore of two kinds : the first represents 
mean persons in the accoutrements of heroes ; the other 
describes great persons acting and speaking like the basest 
among the people. Addistm, Spectator, No. 249. 
Tills contrast between ideas of grandeur, dignity, sanc- 
tity, perfection, and ideas of meanness, baseness, pro- 
fanity, seems to be the very spirit of burletwfue. 
Ilutchejton, ThoughU on Laughter. 
2. A piece composed in burlesque style; a 
travesty; in modern use often specifically a 
theatrical piece, a kind of dramatic extrava- 
ganza, usually based upon a serious play or 
subject, with more or less music in it. 3. A 
ludicrous or debasing caricature of any kind; 
a gross perversion. 
Who is It that admires, and Is from the heart attached 
to, national representative assemblies, but must turn with 
horror and disgust from such a profane burlejujve and 
abominable perversion of that sacred institute ? 
Burke, Rev. in France. 
= Svn. Parody, Travtity, etc. See caricature. 
burlesque (ber-lesk'), . ; pret. and pp. bur- 
lesqued-ppr. burlesquing. [< burlesque, a.] I. 
trans. To make ridiculous by mocking repre- 
sentation; caricature; travesty. 
They burlesqued the prophet Jeremiah's words, and 
turned the expression he used into ridicule. 
Stillingjleet, Works, II. iv. 
The characteristic faults of his [Johnson's] style are so 
familiar to all, . . . and have been so often burlesqued, 
that it is almost superfluous to point them out. 
Macaulay, Boswell's Johnson. 
II. intrans. To use caricature. [Rare.] 
burlesquer (ber-les'ker), w. One who bur- 
lesques or turns to ridicule. 
burlett. " [< F. bourlet, bourrelet, a roll of cloth 
or leather stuffed with hair or wool, etc., a sup- 
porter of satin, etc., for a ruff or collar, also a 
kind of hood, < bourre, flocks of wool, hair, etc.. 
used for stuffing saddles, balls, etc. : see bur- 
rel.] 1 . A coif ; a stuffed roll to support a ruff ; 
a standing or stuffed neck for a gown. >/<//- 
sheu. 2. A hood. Ash. 
burletta (ber-let'ft), n. [It., dim. of burla, 
mockery: see burlesque.] A comic opera; a 
musical farce. 
bur ley t, . [Origin obscure; cf. burly.] The 
butt-end of a lance. Wilnelm, Mil. Diet. 
burliness (ber'li-nes), n. [< burly + -ness.] 
The state or quality of being burly. 
burling-iron (ber'liug-i'ern), w. A kind of 
pincers or tweezers used in burling cloth. 
burn 
bur ling-machine (ix'T'ling-ma-ghSn'), n. A 
iiwliiin- fur removing knots anil rough places 
from woolen cloth ln-1'orc il is fulled. 
burly 1 (ber'li), a. [= E. dial, bmnrly, < ME. '/</-- 
ly. Surely, burly, burliflu; /<//,.//>. Ixirlic, etc., 
large, huge. Of uncertain origin; hardly = 
OHG. liHrlili, purlili, elevated, high (< b6r, an 
elevation, + -lih = E. -ly 1 ). There is nothing to 
prove the supposed Celtic origin.] 1. Great in 
bodily size; bulky; large; stout: formerly used 
of things, but now only of persons, and imply- 
ing some degree of coarseness. 
The braunches were burly, sum of bright gold. 
Sum lyluer for sothe, ncmltst of hew. 
Destruction of Truy (E. E. T. H.), L 4IXW. 
Burly sacks and well stuffed barns. 
DrayUm, I'olyolhion, ilv. 118. 
Down through the crashing under-wood 
The burly sheriff came. Wkiitier, The Exile*. 
2f. BoUterous; loud. 
So when a burly tempest rolls hU pride. 
/. Beaumont, Piyche, v. 224. 
Syn. 1. MtuHrire, J'tmdennu, etc. See bulky. 
burly 1 t, r- ' To make burly; cause to bulge 
out. 
Think'st thou that paunch, that burlies out thy coat. 
Is thriving fat; or flesh, that seems so brawny? 
Qttarlejt, Emblems, 1. 12. 
burly 2 (ber'li), a. [< burft + -t/i.] Having 
burls or excrescent knots : as, a burly tree. 
Burman (ber'man), . [< Burma + -an.] A 
native or an inhabitant of Burma, a British 
possession in Farther India, it was formerly an 
independent kingdom, but parts of it were annexed t.. 
(in-:a Britain in 1820 and 1X52, and the remainder on 
January 1st, 1886, In consequence of wars. 
A Kiii-t/ittii. being the property of the king, can never 
1 1 nit the country without his especial permission, which is 
only granted for a limited time, and never to women on 
any pretence. Encyc. Brit., IV. 554. 
bur-marigold (ber ' mar 'i -gold), n. A book- 
name for the more showy species of Bidens. 
Burmese (ber-mes' or-raez'), a. and n. [< Bur- 
ma + -<w.] I. a. Of or pertaining to Burma. 
H. H. 1. sing, or jil. An inhabitant or inhabi- 
tants of Burma. See Burman. 2. The lan- 
guage of the people of Burma. It is one of the 
monosyllabic languages. 
bur-millstone (ber'mil'ston), n. Same as bur- 
stone. 
burn 1 (bern), v. ; pret. and pp. burned or burnt, 
ppr. burning. [Under this form and the obs. 
or dial, brin, bren, brun, are now confused two 
different but related verbs, which are quite dis- 
tinct in AS. and the other older tongues: (1) 
burn, < ME. bernen, btfrncn, barnen, brenneii, < 
AS. biernan (pret. b(enide, pp. bferned) = OS. 
brennian = MD. bernen (in mod. D. displaced 
by the secondary form branden : see brand, v.) 
= LG. brennen = OFries. berna, barna = OHG. 
brennan, MHG. G. brennen = Icel. brenna = Sw. 
branna = Dan. bnende = Goth, brannjan (in 
comp.), burn, consume with fire, orig. and prop, 
trans., a weak verb, factitive of the next; (2) 
burn, < ME. birnen, beornen, brinnen, < AS. beor- 
nan, byrnan (pret. 6am, beam, pi. bunion, pp. 
bornen), a transposed form of *brinnan (in comp. 
on-brinnan) = OS. brinnan = OHG. brinnan, 
MHG. G. dial, brinnen = Icel. brenna, older 
brinna, = Goth, brinnan, burn, be on fire ; orig. 
and prop, intrans., a strong verb; not known 
outside of Teut. Deriv. brand, brine*, perhaps 
fri/rw 2 = bourn 1 , etc.] I. trans. 1. To consume 
with fire; destroy or reduce to ashes by the 
action of heat or fire. 
He comethe to brenne. him self upon the Awtere of the 
Temple. MandeMU, Travels, p. 48. 
Thou shall hough their horses, and burn their chariots 
with flre. Josh. xi. 6. 
2. To act on with fire ; expose to the action of 
fire : as, to burn clay ; to burn wood for charcoal ; 
to burn limestone. 3. To produce by means 
of fire: as, to burn charcoal. 4. To scorch; 
affect or injure by heat: as, to burn one's 
clothes by being too near the fire ; to burn one's 
fingers ; to burn bread or meat. 
The sun doth bunt my face. 
Shot., Vemu and Adonis, L 180. 
6. To inflame or tan (the skin), as sunlight. 
6. To produce an effect like that of fire ; heat 
or inflame ; affect with a burning sensation : as, 
ardent spirits burn the stomach ; a burning fever. 
This tyrant fever bnnu me up. Shot., K. John, T. S. 
7. In chem., to combine with oxygen; oxygen- 
ize. 8. In surg., to apply a cautery to; cau- 
terize. TO burn daylight, to burn a candle or candle* 
before it is dark ; waste light. 
