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burn in

B2 neutral separable both
In simple words

To make a permanent mark by burning, or when a picture stays on a screen forever.

Literal meaning: To use fire or heat to mark something inward/permanently.

Meanings

1 B2 neutral

To permanently mark a surface by applying heat, as in woodburning or branding.

"The craftsman burned his initials in to the base of every piece of furniture he made."

Grammar: separable
2 B2 neutral

(Of a screen or display) to permanently retain a ghost image from prolonged static display.

"Leaving the same image on your phone for months can cause it to burn in to the screen."

Grammar: inseparable
3 B2 idiomatic neutral

(Figurative) To fix something so deeply in the mind that it cannot be forgotten.

"That image of the burning building was burned in to her memory forever."

Grammar: separable
Usage notes

The technology sense (screen burn-in) is very familiar to modern users of phones and monitors. The crafts/woodwork sense (burning a design into wood) is also well known. Figurative use (memory burned in) is also frequent.

Commonly used with

screen monitor image memory design wood

Forms

Base
burn in
I/you/we/they
3rd person
burns in
he/she/it
Past simple
burned in
yesterday
Past participle
burned in
have + pp
-ing form
burning in
continuous

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