Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
to burn coal

to burn coal

5 3.0
Use coal as fuel to make heat or electricity
  • phrasal verb
  • /bɜrn koʊl/
translation icon : quemar carbón
  • Given its limited energy resources, Bulgaria produced more than half of its electricity by burning high-sulfur brown coal and lignite.
  • burns coal to make electricity
  • technologies designed to burn coal
  • power plant, which burns coal

Setting aside climate change, particulate air pollution from burning things like coal or, or even natural gas leads to millions of deaths around the world.

Autoplay Next

Examples

  • But you can also burn coal very easily for extended periods.

    Blog text (3)

  • Almost three quarters (72.2%) of the students understood that environmental groups are concerned that burning coal to produce electricity causes pollution.

    Academic text (1996)

  • Both China and India will burn coal to support much of their development over the next few decades.

    Academic text (1995)

  • We used to burn some coal in them.

    Academic text (1993)

  • Again, they can keep burning coal and making money.

  • Let me tell you that the sky was black from the smoke of burning coal in the industries there.

    Blog text (32)

  • Environmentalists are concerned because burning coal causes pollution.

    Academic text (1996)

  • The Chinese burn less coal per capita than Americans do, but in sheer tonnage, they burn twice as much.

    Academic text (2006)

  • For example, when factories burn coal, they release high concentrations of sulfur oxides.

  • Power plants that burn coal produce electricity for millions of homes.

Synonyms

to ignite
vsto burn coal
66 4.0

To make something start burning

is about using a solid fuel to produce heat and keep the flame going
to combust
vsto burn coal
8 7.4

To catch fire or make something burn

is about using a solid fuel mainly to produce heat and sustain a flame

Antonyms

to extinguish
23 4.4

Stop a fire, candle, or other light from burning

How Hot

to incinerate
33 7.1
to blaze
58 3.4
to burn coal
5 3.0
to smolder
  • US
18 6.6
to singe
6 4.2

Surface Forms

burn coal infinitive
burned coal past
burned coal past participle
burning coal present participle
burns coal third person singular

Morphology

burn + coal

The meaning 'to use coal as a fuel by setting it on fire' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'burn' (to cause combustion) with 'coal' (a fuel). This verb + noun compositional pattern is literal and cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily infer the MWE meaning.

Etymology

Burn coal shows a simple, literal image: you set coal on fire so it burns and gives heat. So, burn coal means 'to use coal as a fuel' to make heat or power.