Burthen

//ˈbɝðn̩// noun, verb

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    Archaic form of burden. alt-of, archaic

    "Nor less, I trust, To them I may have owed another gift, Of aspect more sublime; that blessed mood, In which the burthen of the mystery, In which the heavy and the weary weight Of all this unintelligible world, Is lightened:"

  2. 2
    a variant of ‘burden’ wordnet
  3. 3
    Archaic form of burden.; The tonnage of a ship based on the number of tuns of wine that it could carry in its holds. historical, obsolete

    "[...] and thence to Calstock, a town on the Tamar, which is washed by the sea flowing through Plymouth Sound and Hamoaze, and which place vessels of 200 tons burthen can reach at spring tides—[...]."

  4. 4
    Archaic form of burden.; Rarely used musical tempo, meaning slow and ponderous (e.g., moving under a burden); similar to largo.
  5. 5
    Archaic form of burden.; A section of music with the tempo mark burthen.
Verb
  1. 1
    Archaic form of burden. alt-of, archaic

    "he other men were variously burthened; some carrying picks and shovels – for that had been the very first necessary they brought ashore from the Hispaniola – others laden with pork, bread, and brandy for the midday meal."

  2. 2
    weight down with a load wordnet

Etymology

Etymology 1

Old form of burden. Compare similar development in murder.

Etymology 2

Old form of burden. Compare similar development in murder.

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