burn up
verbEtymology From burn + up. Compare Middle English upbrennynge, upbrennende (“burning up”, present participle), German Low German upbrannen (“to burn up”).
8 senses
1
To catch fire and burn until destroyed.
- Near-synonyms: go up in smoke; see also Thesaurus:combust
- The rocket may burn up on reentry.
2
To destroy by burning.
- Before daylight, when the dragon flew home to sleep, he had burned up the hall and even the throne of the Geatish king.1961, Norma Lorre Goodrich, “Beowulf”, in The Medieval Myths, New York: The New American Library, page 41:
3
To anger; to annoy.
- Near-synonyms: incense; see also Thesaurus:enrage, Thesaurus:annoy
- His thoughtlessness really burns me up.
4
To be angry or annoyed.
- One morning […] we stood around the office talking and laughing, having a good time, when one man, Tim, made a job ^([sic]) about "fags." Right then we had to leave, and soon we were warming up our cars on the street. Naturally I was burning up about the comment, and decided to do something about it, though even as I got out of my car to walk up to Tim's, I wasn't sure what.1980 February 9, Bruce MacDonald, “Cultural Preparation”, in Gay Community News, volume 7, number 28, page 4:
5
To be or feel overly hot or inflamed.
- Near-synonyms: steam, swelter
- It's the middle of summer; I know it's going to be burning up outside.
1 more example
- Now that we've been walking awhile, I'm burning up in this coat! Time to take it off.
6
Specifically To experience a high fever.
- She felt the child's forehead and discovered that he was burning up!
7
Dated To ride a motorcycle or other vehicle at high speed.