burn off

To use energy from food, usually by moving or exercising.

• Walking helps you burn off calories.
• The children burned off some energy in the park.
• How much exercise burns off a large meal?

How to use it: burn something off (A long walk helped me burn the extra calories off.)

Similar words: use up, expend

Common phrases: burn off calories, burn off energy

To disappear because of heat, especially when the sun warms fog or cloud.

• The fog will burn off soon.
• By noon, the mist had burned off.
• Low clouds usually burn off as the day warms.

Similar words: clear, dissipate

Common phrases: burn off gradually, burn off completely

To make something disappear or remove it by using heat.

• The sun will burn off the fog.
• He burned off the old paint with a torch.
• Can this heater burn off the moisture?

How to use it: burn something off (The sun burned the mist off.)

Similar words: remove, burn away

Common phrases: burn off something, burn off paint

To get rid of unwanted gas from an oil well by setting it on fire.

• They burn off unwanted gas.
• The oil company burned off gas above the well.
• Why is so much methane being burned off here?

How to use it: burn off something (The plant burns off excess gas at night.)

Similar words: flare, flare off

Common phrases: burn off gas, burn off excess gas

To use up something valuable without producing a useful result.

• The company is burning off cash.
• We burned off scarce fuel while waiting.
• Leaving equipment running burns off resources needlessly.

How to use it: burn off something (The idle machines burn off fuel for no useful purpose.)

Similar words: waste, squander

Opposites: conserve

Common phrases: burn off cash, burn off resources

To move much faster than a competitor and leave them behind, especially at the start of a race.

• He burned off his rivals immediately.
• The red car burned us off at the lights.
• Can she burn off the field in the opening lap?

How to use it: burn someone off (She burned the other runners off at the start.)

Similar words: outpace, leave behind

Common phrases: burn off someone, burn off rivals