# burn down

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/burn-down
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. to destroy a building

phrasal verb · CEFR B1

to destroy a building or structure completely with fire.

For teachers: to cause a building or structure to be consumed entirely by fire. Transitive use requires an object.

- The angry crowd threatened to burn down the old factory.
- The invading forces systematically burned down every administrative building in the capital to erase all records of the previous government.

Usage: When used transitively, the object can sit between 'burn' and 'down'.

### 2. to be destroyed

phrasal verb · CEFR B1

to be destroyed by fire until nothing is left.

For teachers: to be consumed by fire until the structure collapses or disappears. Intransitive use takes no direct object.

- The wooden barn burned down in less than an hour.
- By the time the fire department arrived at the remote location, the historic cottage had already burned down to its foundations.

Usage: This is the intransitive form where the building itself is the subject.

## Examples

- 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.

## Usage notes

- Teaching tip: 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.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.