an onerous or difficult concern
"the burden of responsibility"
"that's a load off my mind"
the central idea that is expanded in a document or discourse
"The author clearly stated the burden of her argument before delving into supporting evidence."
A heavy load.
"The ancient ballad features a mournful refrain as its recurring burden, echoing the sorrow of lost love after every stanza."
A phrase or theme that recurs at the end of each verse in a folk song or ballad.
In plain English: A burden is something heavy that makes it hard for you to carry on with your life.
"Carrying all their groceries became too much of a burden for him to handle alone."
weight down with a load
"The heavy backpack began to burden his shoulders as he climbed the steep hill."
To encumber with a literal or figurative burden.
"The heavy backpack and the pile of groceries began to burden her shoulders as she climbed the steep hill."
In plain English: To burden someone means to make them feel weighed down by extra responsibilities or problems they have to deal with.
"The heavy backpack began to burden his shoulders after walking for hours."
Usage: Use this verb to describe weighing someone down physically, such as carrying heavy luggage, or metaphorically by adding excessive responsibility. Avoid confusing it with "burden" the noun meaning a recurring musical phrase in folk songs, which is unrelated to the action of encumbering.
A surname.
"Burden is a rare but established surname found in several genealogical records."
The word "burden" comes from Old English, originally meaning something to be carried or borne. It traces its roots back to a Proto-Indo-European root associated with carrying and bearing weight.