Phrasal verb
burn off
Definition
phrasal verb. to use up energy or fat by doing physical activity.
phrasal verb. to expend energy, calories, or fat through metabolic processes or physical exertion.
Examples
“I need to burn off that big lunch.”
“Running for thirty minutes is a great way to burn off extra calories from the weekend.”
“Athletes often consume high-carbohydrate meals before a race, knowing they will burn off the energy during the intense physical competition.”
Examples
simple
“I need to burn off that big lunch.”
contextual
“Running for thirty minutes is a great way to burn off extra calories from the weekend.”
complex
“Athletes often consume high-carbohydrate meals before a race, knowing they will burn off the energy during the intense physical competition.”
Usage
usually takes 'calories', 'fat', or 'energy' as a direct object.
Teaching tip
contrast with 'burn down' (destroy by fire) or 'burn out' (stop working); 'burn off' implies a process of elimination through use.
Pitfall
I burned off it at the gym.
I burned it off at the gym.
when using a pronoun like 'it', it must go between the verb and the particle.
Phrasal verb
Particles
off
Separability
optional
Pattern
burn + (object) + off
Synonyms
Antonyms
Grammar
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/burn-off