burrow
B2Neutral. Used in both literary/descriptive and everyday contexts.
Definition
Meaning
A hole or tunnel dug in the ground by a small animal (like a rabbit, fox, or badger) for shelter or habitation.
1. To dig a tunnel or hole. 2. To move or search by digging or as if by digging; to search for something intensively or to snuggle into something.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The primary sense is zoological/dwellings. As a verb, it often implies a sense of effort, seclusion, or searching within something. It can be used metaphorically for abstract searching (e.g., in a text, in one's mind).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or primary usage. The word is equally common in both varieties for its core zoological sense.
Connotations
Similar in both. Evokes images of small mammals, safety, and hiddenness.
Frequency
Comparable frequency. Slightly more literary/descriptive than everyday.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[subject] burrows [adverbial of place][subject] burrows into/under/through [object][subject] burrows down/under [adverbial]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Burrow of love (poetic/metaphorical)”
- “To burrow one's way into/out of something (figurative for effort)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare. Possibly metaphorically: 'The startup tried to burrow into a niche market.'
Academic
Common in biology/zoology texts describing animal behaviour. Also in literary analysis: 'The character burrows into their memories.'
Everyday
Common when talking about pets (e.g., hamsters), gardening (finding pests), or wildlife documentaries.
Technical
Standard in zoology, ecology, and paleontology (e.g., 'trace fossils of invertebrate burrows').
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The rabbit will burrow under the garden shed.
- He burrowed through the pile of paperwork to find the contract.
- The mole is burrowing in the lawn.
American English
- The groundhog burrowed a hole under the fence.
- She burrowed into the closet looking for her boots.
- The larvae burrow deep into the wood.
adverb
British English
- None standard. Not used as an adverb.
American English
- None standard. Not used as an adverb.
adjective
British English
- (Rare, usually hyphenated or attributive noun) The burrow-dwelling weasel is elusive.
- Fossils show burrow structures in the rock.
American English
- The burrow depth is impressive for such a small animal.
- They studied the burrow architecture of prairie dogs.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The rabbit lives in a burrow.
- Our dog tried to dig a burrow in the sand.
- We found a fox's burrow at the edge of the woods.
- The hamster burrowed under the wood shavings to sleep.
- Archaeologists discovered ancient rodent burrows preserved in the sediment.
- He burrowed his hand into his pocket to find the keys.
- The journalist burrowed into the archives, unearthing documents that had been sealed for decades.
- A complex network of burrows, spanning several metres, indicated a highly social colony.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a **BURly ROW** of rabbits digging a long, straight tunnel (a row) in the ground. A 'burrow' is their 'burly row'.
Conceptual Metaphor
KNOWLEDGE/INFORMATION IS A SPACE TO BE EXPLORED ('burrow into a book'), SECURITY/COMFORT IS BEING UNDERGROUND ('burrow under the blankets'), INVESTIGATION IS DIGGING ('burrow for the truth').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Не путать с 'barrow' (курган, тачка).
- Не является прямым эквивалентом слова 'нора' для всех контекстов (например, 'bear's den' = берлога, а не burrow). Burrow подразумевает именно рытьё.
- Как глагол, 'to burrow' шире, чем 'рыть нору' – может означать просто 'зарываться', 'пробираться'.
Common Mistakes
- Misspelling as 'burough' (confusion with 'borough').
- Incorrect preposition: 'burrow in the ground' is acceptable, but 'burrow into/under' is more precise for the action.
- Using for large animal dens (e.g., 'bear burrow' sounds odd; 'bear den' is correct).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'burrow' LEAST appropriate?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. A nest is typically built above ground or in a cavity using gathered materials (twigs, grass). A burrow is specifically a hole or tunnel dug *into* the ground or another substrate.
Yes, but only metaphorically or humorously. E.g., 'He burrowed under the duvet.' or 'The children burrowed into the pile of cushions.' It suggests a snuggling, digging-like motion.
A tunnel is a general underground passage. A burrow is a type of tunnel, but specifically one made by an animal for living in. All burrows are tunnels, but not all tunnels are burrows (e.g., railway tunnel).
'Burrow' is pronounced /ˈbʌr.əʊ/ (UK) or /ˈbɝː.oʊ/ (US). 'Borough' is /ˈbʌr.ə/ (UK) or /ˈbɝː.oʊ/ (US) – they can be homophones in American English, causing spelling confusion. Context clarifies the meaning.
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