verbrennen

German

Etymology

ver- (“a common verbal prefix”) +‎ brennen (“to burn”). Compare Old High German firbrinnan, English forburn.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /fɛɐ̯ˈbʀɛnən/

• Audio:

  (file)

Verb

1. (transitive) to burn (to cause to be consumed by fire or flames), to incinerate, to combust

   Das Feuer war verheerend, da nahezu jede Pflanze im Feuer verbrannte. — The fire was devastating because nearly every plant was consumed by the flames.

2. (transitive, reflexive, medicine) to burn oneself, to suffer a burning

   sich den Arm verbrennen — to burn one's arm

   Neugierige Katzen verbrennen sich die Tatzen. — Curiosity killed the cat.

3. (transitive, military) to scorch

   die Taktik der verbrannten Erde — the tactic of scorched earth

4. to burn (to hurt the mouth by an overdose of spices)
   • 2010, Der Spiegel, issue 28/2010, page 98:

     Freunde exotischer Gerichte verbrennen sich mitunter gehörig den Mund, weil sie die Schärfe falsch einschätzen.

     Friends of exotic dishes now and then awfully burn their mouth, because they misjudge the spiciness.

Synonyms

• (to burn down): abbrennen, niederbrennen

Derived terms

• Verbrennen
• Verbrennung

Further reading

• “verbrennen” in Duden online