burn down
- 01 B1 Intermediate
to destroy a building or structure completely with fire.
to cause a building or structure to be consumed entirely by fire. Transitive use requires an object.
Simple“The angry crowd threatened to burn down the old factory.”
In context“The invading forces systematically burned down every administrative building in the capital to erase all records of the previous government.”
UsageWhen used transitively, the object can sit between 'burn' and 'down'.
- 02 B1 Intermediate
to be destroyed by fire until nothing is left.
to be consumed by fire until the structure collapses or disappears. Intransitive use takes no direct object.
Simple“The wooden barn burned down in less than an hour.”
In context“By the time the fire department arrived at the remote location, the historic cottage had already burned down to its foundations.”
UsageThis is the intransitive form where the building itself is the subject.
Synonyms
contrast with 'burn up' which often refers to smaller objects or the feeling of heat; 'down' emphasizes the collapse of the structure to the ground.
- go up in flames
- be destroyed
- raze
- Particles
- down
- Separability
- optional
- Pattern
- burn + (object) + down