Reading Theme:
Bury: Definition, Usage & Common Mistakes Explained (2 meaning)
Meaning 1：inter in the earth (bury)
bury
/ˈberi/
vt.
To put someone or something, especially a dead person, into a hole in the ground and cover it with soil.
inter in the earth
➕
/ɪnˈtɜːr ɪn ði ɜːrθ/
vt.
The act of placing a dead body or an object into a prepared hole in the ground and covering it with soil.
📘 Details & Usage
📖 Root Explanation
From Old English 'byrgan', meaning 'to hide, conceal, inter'.
💡 Mnemonic
Think of a juicy 'berry' you plant in the ground to grow a bush. You 'bury' a seed to hide it and help it grow.
📖 Example
In the peaceful graveyard, they will bury their beloved pet under the old oak tree.
In the peaceful graveyard, they will inter their beloved pet in the earth under the old oak tree.
🔗 Collocations
bury the dead – To perform the ritual of interring deceased people.
bury a treasure – To hide valuable items by placing them underground.
bury a secret – To keep a secret completely hidden, as if underground.
🔄 Synonyms
inter (vt.) – A more formal term for bury, especially in a grave or tomb.
entomb (vt.) – To place in or as if in a tomb; to bury.
lay to rest () – A gentle, euphemistic phrase meaning to bury someone who has died.
🚫 Antonyms
🌱 Derivatives
📖 Cultural Story
The word's connection to ancient burial mounds and prehistoric funerary rites reflects a universal human practice of caring for the dead. Placing the deceased under a mound of earth or stones was believed to protect the body and allow the spirit to pass on.
Meaning 2：hide or immerse (bury)
bury
/ˈberi/
vt.
To hide something by putting it under the ground, or to put your face or head into something soft to hide it.
hide or immerse
➕
/haɪd ɔːr ɪˈmɜːrs/
vt.
To conceal something by placing it beneath a surface or substance, or to press one's face or head deeply into something soft.
📘 Details & Usage
📖 Example
She was so embarrassed that she wanted to bury her face in her hands.
She was so embarrassed that she wanted to hide her face by pressing it into her hands.
🔗 Collocations
bury one's face – To press one's face into something (like hands or a pillow) to hide or seek comfort.
bury feelings – To suppress or hide one's emotions, not expressing them.
bury the lede – A journalism term for hiding the most important piece of information.
🔄 Synonyms
🚫 Antonyms
🌱 Derivatives
buried (adj.) – Hidden or submerged; not apparent on the surface.
Wordbook
Your data is saved in this browser