burn in
1. To use heat to engrave or etch something into a material. A noun or pronoun can be used between "burn" and "in." We need to burn in the letters first, then you can work on the rest of your design. A: "Look, they used a lighter to burn in their initials." B: "Isn't that defacing school property, though?" What material do I need to use if I want to burn in a monogram?
2. To cause to leave a lasting or permanent impression on someone or something. A noun or pronoun can be used between "burn" and "in." Have you studied enough? You need to burn this material in before the big test. The image of you two kissing is burned in my brain now! Gross! We had to memorize the Preamble to the US Constitution in seventh grade, and it's been burned in my memory ever since!
3. To cause to remain permanently visible on a screen, as can happen when an image has been continuously displayed on a screen for a long period of time. A noun or pronoun can be used between "burn" and "in." That image could get burned in if you leave the movie paused for much longer. That's why you need a screensaver—so you can walk away from your computer without a whatever's on the screen burning in. A: "Hey, does this old TV still work?" B: "It does, but the screen is messed up—my kids left their video game on for so long that the image got burned in."
4. To use light exposure to darken or lighten areas of a photograph or negative. Now burn in the shadows on this side of the picture. He loves to play with light and dark in his photos, so I bet he's in the darkroom right now, burning in the edges. I enjoy photography, but I have no idea what I'm doing. Can you show me how to burn in shadows?
5. To use a new piece of electronic equipment for a certain period of time to confirm that it works properly. We definitely need to burn in this new server before we put it online. A: "Hey, Charlie says that laptop you brought him won't turn on. I thought you said that was burned in." B: "It was—I had no issues with it." You want to save yourself some headaches? Burn in these electronics before you list them online.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
burn in
v.1. To engrave or etch something, such as marks or letters, on a surface by the use of intense heat: I burned in the image of an eagle and then varnished the wood.
2. To darken or brighten a part of a photographic print or negative by exposing unmasked areas: Burn in the edges of the picture to create a darkened border. You can burn in the highlights to enhance their effect.
3. To become a permanently visible image due to constant exposure: The message was displayed on the computer screen so long that it burned in.
4. To implant something firmly in the memory: I repeated the poem over and over again to burn it in my mind. The image of the forest fire has been burned in my memory.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs. Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.