burn down
A2 neutral separable both
In simple words
When a building is completely destroyed by fire.
Literal meaning: To burn until something collapses or falls down to the ground.
Meanings
1 A2 neutral
(Of a building) to be completely destroyed by fire, or to destroy a building by fire.
"The old town hall burned down in the 1920s and was never rebuilt."
"They're burning down the house."
— Talking Heads, 'Burning Down the House' (1983 song)
Grammar: separable
2 B1 neutral
(Of a fire or candle) to burn until the fuel is exhausted and the flame dies out or reduces significantly.
"By midnight, the campfire had burned down to a bed of glowing embers."
Grammar: inseparable
Usage notes
The most common use is for buildings being destroyed by fire. Can be intransitive ('the house burned down') or transitive ('arsonists burned the building down'). Also used for a fire or flame dying down as fuel is exhausted.
Commonly used with
house building factory barn forest village
Forms
Base
burn down
I/you/we/they
3rd person
burns down
he/she/it
Past simple
burned down
yesterday
Past participle
burned down
have + pp
-ing form
burning down
continuous
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