buri
B1Neutral
Definition
Meaning
To place a dead body in the ground or a tomb.
To hide or cover something by putting it underground; to stop thinking about or dealing with something.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Often used metaphorically to mean ending or forgetting about something negative (e.g., a disagreement, a past event). Can imply deliberate concealment.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Spelling and pronunciation of the present participle: UK 'burying', US 'burying' (no difference). No significant difference in meaning or usage.
Connotations
Identical connotations in both varieties.
Frequency
Equally common in both UK and US English.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
SVO (They buried the treasure.)SVO+A (He buried the box in the garden.)SVO+under (The avalanche buried the village under snow.)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Bury your head in the sand (ignore a problem).”
- “Bury the hatchet (end a quarrel).”
- “Dead and buried (completely finished).”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
"The company decided to bury the failed project report."
Academic
"The ancient city was buried by volcanic ash."
Everyday
"Let's bury our argument and move on."
Technical
"The utility cables are buried at a depth of one metre."
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- They will bury their beloved pet in the orchard.
- The government tried to bury the unfavourable report.
American English
- He wants to be buried in his hometown.
- She buried her face in her hands.
adverb
British English
- (Not standard; used in participle forms) The treasure lay deeply buried.
- The secret was well and truly buried.
American English
- (Not standard; used in participle forms) The car was completely buried in snow.
- Emotionally, he felt buried by the demands.
adjective
British English
- A buried cable caused the work delay.
- His buried resentment finally surfaced.
American English
- The buried treasure was never found.
- Access the buried settings in the menu.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The dog buried its bone in the garden.
- They buried the time capsule in the schoolyard.
- He was buried in the local cemetery.
- Don't bury your feelings; talk about them.
- The scandal was quickly buried by the press.
- Ancient artefacts were buried beneath the modern city.
- The committee's findings were effectively buried by bureaucratic inertia.
- She felt buried under an avalanche of paperwork.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a BERRY (sounds like 'bury') you drop on the ground. It gets covered by soil and is hidden – it is 'buried'.
Conceptual Metaphor
ENDING IS BURYING (e.g., bury the past); IGNORING IS BURYING ONE'S HEAD; CONCEALMENT IS BURYING.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'беречь' (to guard/protect). The Russian verb 'хоронить' is the direct equivalent for the core meaning.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect pronunciation: /ˈbʌr.i/ (like 'burry').
- Incorrect spelling: 'berry' (the fruit).
- Using 'bury' for temporary hiding (use 'hide' instead).
Practice
Quiz
What does the idiom 'bury your head in the sand' mean?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is pronounced /ˈber.i/ (like 'berry'), not like 'burrow'.
'Inter' is more formal and is used almost exclusively for placing a dead body in a grave or tomb. 'Bury' is the general, everyday word.
Yes, it is commonly used metaphorically (e.g., bury a memory, bury a disagreement, bury yourself in work).
The correct spelling is 'burying'. It follows the rule: change 'y' to 'i' only when adding endings that don't start with 'i' (e.g., buried). The '-ing' ending starts with 'i', so the 'y' remains.