burden
    n 1: an onerous or difficult concern; "the burden of
         responsibility"; "that's a load off my mind" [syn:
         burden, load, encumbrance, incumbrance, onus]
    2: weight to be borne or conveyed [syn: load, loading,
       burden]
    3: the central meaning or theme of a speech or literary work
       [syn: effect, essence, burden, core, gist]
    4: the central idea that is expanded in a document or discourse
    v 1: weight down with a load [syn: burden, burthen,
         weight, weight down] [ant: disburden, unburden]
    2: impose a task upon, assign a responsibility to; "He charged
       her with cleaning up all the files over the weekend" [syn:
       charge, saddle, burden]

Burden \Bur"den\ (b[^u]"d'n), n. [Written also burthen.] [OE.
   burden, burthen, birthen, birden, AS. byr[eth]en; akin to
   Icel. byr[eth]i, Dan. byrde, Sw. b["o]rda, G. b["u]rde, OHG.
   burdi, Goth. ba['u]r[thorn]ei, fr. the root of E. bear, AS.
   beran, Goth. bairan. [root]92. See 1st Bear.]
   1. That which is borne or carried; a load.
      [1913 Webster]

            Plants with goodly burden bowing.     --Shak.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. That which is borne with labor or difficulty; that which
      is grievous, wearisome, or oppressive.
      [1913 Webster]

            Deaf, giddy, helpless, left alone,
            To all my friends a burden grown.     --Swift.
      [1913 Webster]

   3. The capacity of a vessel, or the weight of cargo that she
      will carry; as, a ship of a hundred tons burden.
      [1913 Webster]

   4. (Mining) The tops or heads of stream-work which lie over
      the stream of tin.
      [1913 Webster]

   5. (Metal.) The proportion of ore and flux to fuel, in the
      charge of a blast furnace. --Raymond.
      [1913 Webster]

   6. A fixed quantity of certain commodities; as, a burden of
      gad steel, 120 pounds.
      [1913 Webster]

   7. A birth. [Obs. & R.] --Shak.
      [1913 Webster]

   Beast of burden, an animal employed in carrying burdens.

   Burden of proof [L. onus probandi] (Law), the duty of
      proving a particular position in a court of law, a failure
      in the performance of which duty calls for judgment
      against the party on whom the duty is imposed.
      [1913 Webster]

   Syn: Burden, Load.

   Usage: A burden is, in the literal sense, a weight to be
          borne; a load is something laid upon us to be carried.
          Hence, when used figuratively, there is usually a
          difference between the two words. Our burdens may be
          of such a nature that we feel bound to bear them
          cheerfully or without complaint. They may arise from
          the nature of our situation; they may be allotments of
          Providence; they may be the consequences of our
          errors. What is upon us, as a load, we commonly carry
          with greater reluctance or sense of oppression. Men
          often find the charge of their own families to be a
          burden; but if to this be added a load of care for
          others, the pressure is usually serve and irksome.
          [1913 Webster]

Burdon \Bur"don\, n. [See Bourdon.]
   A pilgrim's staff. [Written also burden.] --Rom. of R.
   [1913 Webster]

Burden \Bur"den\ (b[^u]r"d'n), n. [OE. burdoun the bass in
   music, F. bourdon; cf. LL. burdo drone, a long organ pipe, a
   staff, a mule. Prob. of imitative origin. Cf. Bourdon.]
   1. The verse repeated in a song, or the return of the theme
      at the end of each stanza; the chorus; refrain. Hence:
      That which is often repeated or which is dwelt upon; the
      main topic; as, the burden of a prayer.
      [1913 Webster]

            I would sing my song without a burden. --Shak.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. The drone of a bagpipe. --Ruddiman.
      [1913 Webster]

Burden \Bur"den\, n. [See Burdon.]
   A club. [Obs.] --Spenser.
   [1913 Webster]

Burden \Bur"den\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Burdened; p. pr. & vb.
   n. Burdening.]
   1. To encumber with weight (literal or figurative); to lay a
      heavy load upon; to load.
      [1913 Webster]

            I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened.
                                                  --2 Cor. viii.
                                                  13.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. To oppress with anything grievous or trying; to overload;
      as, to burden a nation with taxes.
      [1913 Webster]

            My burdened heart would break.        --Shak.
      [1913 Webster]

   3. To impose, as a load or burden; to lay or place as a
      burden (something heavy or objectionable). [R.]
      [1913 Webster]

            It is absurd to burden this act on Cromwell.
                                                  --Coleridge.
      [1913 Webster]

   Syn: To load; encumber; overload; oppress.
        [1913 Webster]

Burden
   (1.) A load of any kind (Ex. 23:5). (2.) A severe task (Ex.
   2:11). (3.) A difficult duty, requiring effort (Ex. 18:22). (4.)
   A prophecy of a calamitous or disastrous nature (Isa. 13:1;
   17:1; Hab. 1:1, etc.).
   

Burden, KS -- U.S. city in Kansas
   Population (2000):    564
   Housing Units (2000): 236
   Land area (2000):     0.526134 sq. miles (1.362682 sq. km)
   Water area (2000):    0.009121 sq. miles (0.023623 sq. km)
   Total area (2000):    0.535255 sq. miles (1.386305 sq. km)
   FIPS code:            09250
   Located within:       Kansas (KS), FIPS 20
   Location:             37.314128 N, 96.755377 W
   ZIP Codes (1990):     67019
   Note: some ZIP codes may be omitted esp. for suburbs.
   Headwords:
    Burden, KS
    Burden