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combustto burn or cause something to burn

Part of speech: VERB

Definition: to burn or cause something to burn

Pronunciation (IPA): /kəmˈbʌst/

Example Sentences

  • My friend's cooking skills are so bad that even water seems to combust in his kitchen.
  • The rocket fuel will combust upon contact with oxygen.
  • When my boss saw the quarterly report, I thought he might spontaneously combust from anger.

combust

VERB

[/kəmˈbʌst/]

to burn or cause something to burn

The dry leaves combust instantly when the spark lands on them.
💡 Concept

The dry leaves combust instantly when the spark lands on them.

When engines combust, away blow dust and rust!
🎵 Rhyme

When engines combust, away blow dust and rust!

Got the picture? Now let's practice.

🎤Pronunciation

🇺🇸 US/kəmˈbʌst/
🇬🇧 UK/kəmˈbʌst/

🌳Etymology

Prefixcom--
Rootbust

Origin

From Latin combustus, the past participle of comburere, meaning 'to burn up' or 'to consume by fire'. The term combines com- (together) and urere (to burn), originally referring to the practice of burning wood and materials together in Roman funeral pyres.

Breakdown

com- (together) + -bust- (from Latin urere, to burn) + -us (past participle suffix). The root bustum derives from the Latin word for pyre or cremation site, reinforcing the sense of burning.

🎵Rhyme

dustmusttrustrust
dust
must
trust
rust

🔗Collocations

spontaneous combustion
combust fuel
readily combust
combust completely
engine combust

📝Examples

😄 Fun example

My friend's cooking skills are so bad that even water seems to combust in his kitchen.

The rocket fuel will combust upon contact with oxygen.

😄 Fun example

When my boss saw the quarterly report, I thought he might spontaneously combust from anger.

Dry leaves combust easily during forest fires.

📚Related Words

Synonyms

burnigniteinflamekindleincinerate

Antonyms

extinguishquenchdouse

Related

combustioncombustibleflamefireoxidize

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