# burr

/ˈbɝ/ (US) · /bˈɜː/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/burr
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. rough edge on metal

noun · CEFR B2 · Technical

a rough or sharp edge left on a piece of metal or plastic after it has been cut.

For teachers: a rough ridge or area of excess material remaining on a workpiece after a machining, cutting, or punching operation.

- He used a small file to remove the burr from the edge of the steel pipe.
- The quality control inspector rejected the batch because several components retained a sharp burr that could interfere with the final assembly.

Usage: Often used with the verb 'remove' or 'grind off'.

### 2. prickly seed

noun · CEFR B2

a seed container from a plant that has hooks or prickles so it can stick to fur or clothes.

For teachers: a rough, prickly husk or case surrounding the seeds of certain plants, adapted for dispersal by clinging to passing animals.

- After the walk in the woods, my dog's fur was covered in tiny green burrs.
- The hiker spent nearly an hour picking burrs out of his wool socks after straying from the marked forest path.

### 3. rough speech sound

noun · CEFR C1 · Dialect · British English

a rough way of pronouncing the letter 'r', often heard in certain regional accents.

For teachers: a trilled or uvular pronunciation of the letter 'r', traditionally associated with certain Northern English or Scottish dialects.

- The old man spoke with a thick Scottish burr that was hard for tourists to understand.
- His speech was marked by a distinctive Northumbrian burr, a phonetic trait that immediately identified his regional origins to the linguist.

### 4. grinding tool

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a small, spinning tool with a rough surface used for grinding or shaping hard materials.

For teachers: a rotary grinding or cutting tool, often used in dentistry or precision engineering to remove small amounts of material.

- The dentist selected a fine diamond burr to smooth the surface of the new filling.
- The machinist used a tungsten carbide burr to deburr the internal edges of the cast iron housing.

### 5. to make a humming sound

verb · CEFR C2 · Literary

to make a low, rough, continuous humming noise.

For teachers: to produce a low, continuous, vibrating or humming sound.

- The old refrigerator began to burr loudly in the quiet kitchen.
- In the distance, the heavy machinery continued to burr, creating a constant mechanical drone that echoed through the valley.

## Examples

- I pulled a burr from my dog's fur.
- After the hike, she spent ten minutes picking burrs from her socks.
- The engineer used a grinding wheel to remove the sharp burr left on the edge of the newly cut steel plate.

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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.