book burning
2
7.2
- noun
- /bʊk ˈbɜrnɪŋ/
- Offensive
:
quema de libros
- Many writers protested against book burning, arguing that it represents a dangerous form of censorship.
- Nazi book burning
Examples
-
Reporter #2 (V.O.): A massive book burning took place in downtown Berlin today.
Fiction book (1997) -
In a civilized, pluralistic democracy, regardless of the intolerance and bigotry of those who would burn religious texts, a violent response to book burning is unacceptable.
Academic text (2010) -
If you show this book to some administrators, tech directors, or parents, you might find yourself in the midst of a book burning.
Academic text (2012) -
Book burnings were common, and nearly all of the early Irish material was lost.
Academic text (2011) -
Jones crossed the line of basic decency, but those who condemned the planned book burning should have spoken out just as loudly against the threats of a violent response to it.
Academic text (2010) -
Libraries began blossoming under the watch of President Franklin Roosevelt, in part as a tool to differentiate the United States from book-burning Nazis.
Academic text (2007) -
The museum had an exhibit showcasing the impact of book burning on freedom of expression throughout history.
-
The documentary highlighted the devastating cultural loss caused by book burning during authoritarian regimes.
Antonyms
How Censored
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'the deliberate destruction of books by burning' is directly and compositionally derivable from 'book' (a set of pages) + 'burning' (the act of combustion); a B1 learner who knows both words will understand it refers to burning books. The political/ideological connotation (censorship) is an additional pragmatic extension but does not prevent the core literal meaning being transparent and predictable across languages.
Etymology
Book burning comes from the real act of setting fire to books in public to stop people reading ideas leaders did not like. That's why the phrase now means a strong symbol of 'censorship' and 'repression'.