burden Definition

burden¹
noun

1. Something to be carried; a load.

Thesaurus: cargo, load, obstruction, weight.
2. A duty or obligation, etc which is difficult, time-consuming, costly, exacting or hard to endure.

Thesaurus: affliction, anxiety, care, grievance, obligation, responsibility, sorrow, stress, trial, trouble.
3. The carrying of a load or loads.

Example: a beast of burden
4. naut.
The amount of cargo a ship can carry; its capacity.
Form: burthen (also)

verb burdened, burdening

1. To weigh them down with a burden, difficulty, problem, etc; to trouble or impose upon them.

Thesaurus: encumber, load, oppress, overload, overwhelm, strain, tax, worry, bother, handicap; Antonym: lighten, relieve.
Form: burden someone with something (usually)
2. To put a load on to it or them.

Form: burden something down (sometimes)
Form: burden someone down

Etymology: Anglo-Saxon as byrthen, from beran to bear.

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burden²
noun

1. The main theme, especially of a book or speech, etc.
2. A line repeated at the end of each verse of a song; a refrain.

Etymology: 16c, originally meaning ‘a bass accompaniment': from French bourdon a droning sound.