burner
A burner is a part of a stove or laboratory device that produces heat or a flame. It can also refer to a disposable mobile phone or a figurative state where a task is given low priority.
Examples
3 of 5I accidentally left the left burner on after I finished cooking dinner.
I left the heating ring of the stove active after preparing the meal.
The laboratory technician adjusted the Bunsen burner to achieve a blue flame.
The technician changed the lab heater to produce a hot, steady fire.
He used a burner to keep his identity private while selling his old car.
He used a temporary phone to remain anonymous during the sale.
Word Family
Memory Tip
Think of the 'ER' suffix as meaning 'the thing that does'. A burner is the thing that does the burning.
Quick Quiz
The scientist turned up the gas on the Bunsen ______ to heat the chemicals.
Correct!
The correct answer is: burner
Examples
I accidentally left the left burner on after I finished cooking dinner.
everydayI left the heating ring of the stove active after preparing the meal.
The laboratory technician adjusted the Bunsen burner to achieve a blue flame.
formalThe technician changed the lab heater to produce a hot, steady fire.
He used a burner to keep his identity private while selling his old car.
informalHe used a temporary phone to remain anonymous during the sale.
The study evaluates the nitrogen oxide emissions from high-efficiency industrial burners.
academicThe research analyzes the gases released by heating components in factories.
The executive decided to put the merger proposal on the back burner for now.
businessThe manager decided to make the merger plans a low priority for the time being.
Word Family
Common Collocations
Common Phrases
on the back burner
given low priority or postponed
on the front burner
given high priority or immediate attention
burner phone
a cheap, prepaid mobile phone intended for temporary use
Often Confused With
A stove is the whole appliance, while a burner is just the specific heat source on top.
A burner is a specific component, whereas a furnace is a large system for heating buildings.
Usage Notes
Use this word specifically for the heating units on a cooktop or lab equipment. In business, it is almost exclusively used in the idiom 'on the back burner'.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes use 'fire' or 'hole' when they mean the 'burner' on a kitchen appliance.
Memory Tip
Think of the 'ER' suffix as meaning 'the thing that does'. A burner is the thing that does the burning.
Word Origin
Derived from the Middle English 'bernen', from Old English 'beornan' meaning to be on fire.
Grammar Patterns
Cultural Context
The term 'burner phone' became popular in US culture through crime-themed television shows and movies.
Quick Quiz
The scientist turned up the gas on the Bunsen ______ to heat the chemicals.
Correct!
The correct answer is: burner
Related Vocabulary
Related Words
to
A1Used to indicate the place, person, or thing that someone or something moves toward. It can also mark the recipient of an action or the limit of a range.
and
A1A primary conjunction used to connect words, phrases, or clauses that are grammatically equal. It indicates addition, a sequence of events, or a relationship between two things.
a
A1A word used before a singular noun that is not specific or is being mentioned for the first time. It is used only before words that begin with a consonant sound to indicate one of something.
that
A1This word is a demonstrative pronoun used to indicate a specific person, object, or idea that is further away in space or time from the speaker. It is also used to refer back to something that has already been mentioned or to introduce a clause that identifies something.
I
A1The pronoun 'I' is used by a speaker or writer to refer to themselves as the subject of a verb. It is the first-person singular subject pronoun in English and is always capitalized regardless of its position in a sentence.
for
A1Used to show who is intended to have or use something, or to explain the purpose or reason for an action. It is also frequently used to indicate a specific duration of time.
not
A1A function word used to express negation or denial. It is primarily used to make a sentence or phrase negative, often following an auxiliary verb or the verb 'to be'.
with
A1A preposition used to indicate that people or things are together, in the same place, or performing an action together. It can also describe the instrument used to perform an action or a characteristic that someone or something has.
he
A1A pronoun used to refer to a male person or animal that has already been mentioned or is easily identified. It functions as the subject of a sentence.
you
A1Used to refer to the person or people that the speaker is addressing. It is the second-person pronoun used for both singular and plural subjects and objects.
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