burn (redirected from burned rubber)

burn your boats (British & Australian, British, American & Australian)

to do something that makes it impossible for you to change your plans and go back to the situation you were in before. She didn't want to burn her boats by asking for a divorce, so she suggested a trial separation instead. I'd already burned my bridges with my previous employer by publicly criticizing their products.

See also: boat

burn your fingers

to suffer unpleasant results of an action, especially loss of money, so you are not keen to try the same thing again. Many investors burn their fingers when they are tempted by get-rich-quick schemes. Several art dealers got their fingers burned on old master paintings that later turned out to be fakes.

See also: finger

burn the candle at both ends

to get little sleep or rest because you are busy until late every night and you get up early every morning. She'd been burning the candle at both ends studying for her exams and made herself ill. (usually in continuous tenses)

See also: both, candle, end

burn the midnight oil

to work very late into the night. I've got to get this report finished by tomorrow so I guess I'll be burning the midnight oil tonight.

See also: midnight, oil

crash and burn (American & Australian, informal)

to fail suddenly and completely. While the big companies merge, the small companies crash and burn.

do a slow burn (American & Australian, informal)

to have a feeling of anger that gradually increases. As he heard more about the plan to develop the area for industrial use he started doing a slow burn.

See also: slow

have money to burn

to have a lot of money and spend large amounts on things that are not necessary. Christine's new boyfriend seems to have money to burn. He's always buying her extravagant gifts.

See also: money

with money to burn

have money to burn - to have a lot of money and spend large amounts on things that are not necessary. The only people who can afford to stay at this hotel are rich people with money to burn.

See also: money

---

burn your bridges

to permanently and unpleasantly end your relationship with a person or organization. Welles had burned his bridges so badly with the movie studios that they laughed when you mentioned his name.

Etymology: based on the military action of burning a bridge you have just crossed to prevent the enemy from crossing it after you

See also: Bridges

burn your fingers

to have a bad result from something, esp. to lose money. Many investors burned their fingers on those stocks. The museum has gotten burned on several paintings purchased recently that have turned out to be fakes.

See also: finger

burn out (someone)

to stop being effective because of too much work or stress. Most of these people will burn out within 10 years and be replaced by younger employees who don't mind working nights, weekends, and holidays. This work burns me out so much that by the end of the day I can't even decide what I want to eat for dinner.

burn out (something)

to stop working because of damage. The new motor burned out because they used the wrong type of oil.

Usage notes: usually said about a motor or engine

Etymology: based on the literal meaning of burn out (= to stop producing a flame)

burn the candle at both ends

to regularly stay awake late and get up early because you are too busy. I'm busy trying to get ready for the holidays and burning the candle at both ends.

See also: both, candle, end

burn something to a crisp

to burn something very badly. He burned the sausages to a crisp. I played a little golf yesterday and my neck got burned to a crisp.

See also: crisp

burn someone up

to anger someone a lot. I was really burned up by her comment.

burn up something

1. to use a lot of a system. The singer's fans have burned up the Internet with speculation about her cancelled tour.

2. to use all of something. Commuting to and from my job burns up all my free time.

crash and burn

to fail suddenly and completely. Gil lost his job and his pension when the company crashed and burned. She watched her parents' marriage crash and burn.

Etymology: based on the image of a crash followed by a fire that completely destroys a vehicle or aircraft

have money to burn

to have a lot of money that you can spend any way you want. Even though they have money to burn, she didn't really enjoy spending it.

See also: money