burdensome

English

WOTD – 7 October 2010

Etymology

From burden +‎ -some.

Pronunciation

  • (UK) IPA(key): /ˈbəː.dən.səm/
  • (US) IPA(key): /ˈbɝ.dən.səm/
  • Audio (General Australian):(file)

Adjective

burdensome (comparative more burdensome, superlative most burdensome)

  1. Characteristic of a burden; arduous or demanding
    • 1748, David Hume, Enquiries concerning the human understanding and concerning the principles of morals, London: Oxford University Press, published 1973, § 6:
      . . . reap a pleasure from what, to the generality of mankind, may seem burdensome and laborious.
    • 1959 November, J. N. Westwood, “The Railways of Canada”, in Trains Illustrated, page 555:
      Finally, there are the commuter trains. Both companies operate these around the big cities and both find them burdensome, owing to the lack of off-peak travel.

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