burn down
phr. v..phr. v.. to be completely destroyed by fire, or to destroy a building this way.
phr. v.. to be consumed or destroyed by fire, typically referring to a structure; can be used transitively or intransitively.
The old barn burned down last night.
The fire started in the kitchen and the whole house burned down within an hour.
Historical records indicate that the original library burned down during the siege, resulting in the loss of thousands of irreplaceable manuscripts.
- Particles
- down
- Separability
- optional
- Pattern
- burn + (object) + down
usually refers to buildings or large structures rather than small objects.
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.
The house was burned down by the sun.The house was burned down by the fire.'Burn down' requires actual fire and destruction, not just heat or sunlight.