Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *bʰergʰ-der.
Proto-Germanic *burgijaną
Proto-West Germanic *burgijan
Old English byrġan
Middle English birien
English bury
Middle English birien, berien, from Old English byrġan, from Proto-West Germanic *burgijan, from Proto-Germanic *burgijaną (“to keep safe”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰergʰ- (“to defend, protect”).
Cognate with Icelandic byrgja (“to cover, shut; to hold in”); West Frisian bergje (“to keep”), German bergen (“to save/rescue something”), Danish bjerge (“to save/rescue something or somebody”); also Eastern Lithuanian bir̃ginti (“to save, spare”), Russian бере́чь (beréčʹ, “to spare”), Ossetian ӕмбӕрзын (æmbærzyn, “to cover”).
The spelling with ⟨u⟩ represents the pronunciation of the West Midland and Southern dialects, while the Modern English pronunciation with /ɛ/ is from the Kentish dialects.
Compare typologically Russian хорони́ть (xoronítʹ) (akin to храни́ть (xranítʹ)), Polish chować.
Meanings
(obsolete, transitive) A burrow.
The conies had hundreds of buries under these trees, so close together that the problem was not to find a rabbit, but to find a rabbit far enough away from its hole. 1958, T[erence] H[anbury] White, chapter I, in The Once and Future King, New York, N.Y.: G. P. Putnam's Sons, →ISBN, book I (The Sword in the Stone):
Orion hit a rabbit once; but though sore wounded it got to the bury, and, struggling in, the arrow caught the side of the hole and was drawn out. 1879, R[ichard] J[efferies], chapter II, in The Amateur Poacher, London: Smith, Elder, & Co., […], →OCLC:
Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *bʰergʰ-der.
Proto-Germanic *burgijaną
Proto-West Germanic *burgijan
Old English byrġan
Middle English birien
English bury
Middle English birien, berien, from Old English byrġan, from Proto-West Germanic *burgijan, from Proto-Germanic *burgijaną (“to keep safe”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰergʰ- (“to defend, protect”).
Cognate with Icelandic byrgja (“to cover, shut; to hold in”); West Frisian bergje (“to keep”), German bergen (“to save/rescue something”), Danish bjerge (“to save/rescue something or somebody”); also Eastern Lithuanian bir̃ginti (“to save, spare”), Russian бере́чь (beréčʹ, “to spare”), Ossetian ӕмбӕрзын (æmbærzyn, “to cover”).
The spelling with ⟨u⟩ represents the pronunciation of the West Midland and Southern dialects, while the Modern English pronunciation with /ɛ/ is from the Kentish dialects.
Compare typologically Russian хорони́ть (xoronítʹ) (akin to храни́ть (xranítʹ)), Polish chować.
Meanings
(figuratively, slang, transitive) To ritualistically inter in a grave or tomb. ▸ To kill or murder.
(figuratively, humorous, transitive) To ritualistically inter in a grave or tomb. ▸ To outlive.
Grandpa’s still in excellent health. He’ll bury us all!
(transitive) To place in the ground.
bury a bone; bury the embers
Later that morning, they wrapped Ian in a wildebeest skin and buried him near a shepherd tree. 2013, Eleanor Morse, White Dog Fell From the Sky:
(figuratively, often, transitive) To hide or conceal as if by covering with earth or another substance.
Floods in northern India, mostly in the small state of Uttarakhand, have wrought disaster on an enormous scale.[…]Rock-filled torrents smashed vehicles and homes, burying victims under rubble and sludge. 2013 June 29, “High and wet”, in The Economist, volume 407, number 8842, page 28:
The Thai government has been trying to bury the memory of the revolution that gave birth to democracy in Thailand. 2017 June 29, Eugene Mark, “Time to Truly Understand Thailand’s 1932 Revolution”, in The Diplomat, Diplomat Media Inc., retrieved 23 Jun 2020:
She buried her face in the pillow, and I buried mine in my hands.
The information I need is buried behind needless details.
The splinter has buried itself under the nail.
(figuratively, often, transitive) To hide or conceal as if by covering with earth or another substance. ▸ To render imperceptible by other, more prominent stimuli; to drown out.
vocals buried in the mix
(broadly, figuratively, often, transitive) To hide or conceal as if by covering with earth or another substance. ▸ To overwhelm.
We live in an age when people are buried with information and nobody knows anything 2014 April 25, Kelly Egan, “Egan: All the information, but far too few answers”, in Ottawa Citizen:
Beyond the daily firefighting, these managers and executives are overwhelmed in details and buried in administrative work 2013 November 17, Mike Weinberg, “Are You Moving the Needle on High Payoff Activity or Drowning in Details & Admin?”, in (Please provide the book title or journal name):
They buried us in paperwork.
(figuratively, transitive) To suppress and hide away in one's mind.
She buried her shame and put on a smiling face.
secrets kept buried
(figuratively, transitive) To put an end to; to abandon.
Give me a bowl of wine. / In this I bury all unkindness, Cassius. 1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Iulius Cæsar”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene iii]:
They buried their argument and shook hands.
(transitive) To score (a goal).
You could feel the relief after Bendtner collected Wilshere's raking pass before cutting inside Carlos Edwards and burying his shot beyond Fulop. 2011 January 25, Paul Fletcher, “Arsenal 3-0 Ipswich (agg. 3-1)”, in BBC:
(slang, transitive) To ruin the image or character of another wrestler; usually by embarrassing or defeating them in dominating fashion.
bn মাটি দেওয়া (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · az gömmək (to place in the ground) · kk жерлеу (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · frr begreew (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · pl pogrzebać (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · it sotterrare (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · ms kubur (to hide or conceal as if by covering with earth) · pl zakopywać (to hide or conceal as if by covering with earth) · ru зарыва́ть (to place in the ground) · sh zakopati (to hide or conceal as if by covering with earth) · fi haudata (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · nl begraven (to place in the ground) · arz دفن (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · be зако́пваць (to place in the ground) · sv begrava (to place in the ground) · it nascondere (to hide or conceal as if by covering with earth) · ru зака́пывать (to place in the ground) · is grafa (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · pl grzebać (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · pt enterrar (to hide or conceal as if by covering with earth) · bg погре́бвам (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · sm tanu (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · my မြှုပ် (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · lv apglabāt (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · tg дафн кардан (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · ms kubur (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · ug كۆممەك (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · pt enterrar (to place in the ground) · rup ngrupiljedz (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · pl zakopać (to hide or conceal as if by covering with earth) · vi chôn (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · ga cuir san uaigh (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · ru закопа́ть (to place in the ground) · agj ቀበራ (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · ota كوممك (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · tl magbaon (to place in the ground) · kk көму (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · as কবৰ দে (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · hu temet (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · rup ngrop (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · fi hukuttaa (to hide or conceal as if by covering with earth) · sq gropos (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · vi mai táng (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · it seppellire (to put an end to; to abandon) · ur دَفْنانا (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · de beerdigen (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · tft woto (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · ka დამარხვა (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · ka დაკრძალვა (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · uk зака́пати (to place in the ground) · ur گاڑْنا (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · tt күмәргә (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · mba lubong (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · bn গোর দেওয়া (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · ru зары́ть (to place in the ground) · uz koʻmmoq (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · izh koopata (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · la dēfodiō (to hide or conceal as if by covering with earth) · ro îngropa (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · de begraben (to put an end to; to abandon) · fi listiä (slang: to kill or murder) · el ενταφιάζω (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · nl begraven (to hide or conceal as if by covering with earth) · ota كوممك (to place in the ground) · sq varros (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · rup ngrop (to place in the ground) · ca enterrar (to hide or conceal as if by covering with earth) · vo sepülön (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · tet taman (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · bni kunda (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · fi haudata (to place in the ground) · be закапа́ць (to place in the ground) · fr enterrer (to place in the ground) · az basdırmaq (to place in the ground) · ar دَفَنَ (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · uk хова́ти (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · sl pokopati (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · gl soterrar (to hide or conceal as if by covering with earth) · tl ibaon (to place in the ground) · de begraben (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · la sepeliō (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · fi niellä (to suppress and hide away in one's mind) · ja 埋葬する (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · ca enterrar (to place in the ground) · ssy oocoge (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · fi haudata (to hide or conceal as if by covering with earth) · it inumare (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · af begrawe (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · ar دَفَنَ (to hide or conceal as if by covering with earth) · mr गाडणे (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · nds-de begrawen (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · grc τυμβεύω (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · es sepultar (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · zh 下葬 (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · enm birien (to place in the ground) · ca sepultar (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · it seppellire (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · es enterrar (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · ru погрести́ (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · uk зари́ти (to place in the ground) · my မြှုပ်နှံ (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · zdj udziha (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · ln kunda (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · ba ерләү (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · sv begrava (to hide or conceal as if by covering with earth) · it sotterrare (to place in the ground) · th ฝัง (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · az dəfn etmək (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · lo ຝັງ (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · nl opgeven (to put an end to; to abandon) · sv gömma (to hide or conceal as if by covering with earth) · fi kaivaa maahan (to place in the ground) · tl kalimutan (to put an end to; to abandon) · fo jarða (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · grc θάπτω (to place in the ground) · tl limutin (to put an end to; to abandon) · he קָבַר (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · tr gömmek (to place in the ground) · fr ensevelir (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · ru похорони́ть (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · cjm ꨓꨗꩌ (to place in the ground) · cmn 埋藏 (to place in the ground) · lt palaidoti (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · sm tanu (to place in the ground) · sh сахрањи́вати (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · fi kuopata (to place in the ground) · de vergraben (to hide or conceal as if by covering with earth) · sah көм (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · uk зака́пувати (to place in the ground) · ru спря́тать (to hide or conceal as if by covering with earth) · ky көмүү (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · pt enterrar (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · be харані́ць (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · ga adhlaic (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · nrf entèrrer (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · lv apbedīt (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · bg зара́вям (to place in the ground) · ga cuir (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · lol kunda (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · es enterrar (to place in the ground) · km បង្កប់ (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · got 𐌲𐌰𐌽𐌰𐍅𐌹𐍃𐍄𐍂𐍉𐌽 (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · sh sahrániti (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · uk похова́ти (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · ro înhuma (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · bn পোঁতা (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · gl soterrar (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · la humō (to place in the ground) · fi haudata (to put an end to; to abandon) · br beziañ (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · tl idumog (to hide or conceal as if by covering with earth) · mww faus (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · it sotterrare (to hide or conceal as if by covering with earth) · nl begraven (to put an end to; to abandon) · tr saklamak (to hide or conceal as if by covering with earth) · eo enterigi (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · grc θάπτω (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · nb begrave (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · be хава́ць (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · nrf entèrrer (to hide or conceal as if by covering with earth) · ro înmormânta (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · sk zahrabať (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · rup murmintedz (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · br douarañ (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · fa دفن کردن (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · ur دَفَن کَرنا (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · as পোত (to place in the ground) · qu p'ampay (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · chr ᎦᏂᏏᎭ (to place in the ground) · hy թաղել (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · fr enterrer (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · zh 埋葬 (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · tr gömmek (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · pt esquecer (to put an end to; to abandon) · el θάβω (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · fa نگندن (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · sq fus (to place in the ground) · de vergraben (to place in the ground) · mn оршуулах (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · fi peittyä jonkin alle (to render imperceptible by other, more prominent stimuli) · ja 埋める (to place in the ground) · tr gömmek (to put an end to; to abandon) · de eingraben (to place in the ground) · chr ᎦᏂᏏᎭ (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · az ört-basdır etmək (to hide or conceal as if by covering with earth) · enm graven (to place in the ground) · afb دفن (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · la humō (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · mk погребува (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · th ฝัง (to place in the ground) · aii ܩܵܒ݂ܹܪ (to hide or conceal as if by covering with earth) · sv glömma (to put an end to; to abandon) · hi गाड़ना (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · mk погребе (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · as পোত (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · tl ilibing (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · it dimenticare (to put an end to; to abandon) · hil lubong (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · nl begraven (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · bg затрупвам (to hide or conceal as if by covering with earth) · be пахарані́ць (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · ny kubyála (to place in the ground) · km កប់ (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · duu leup (to place in the ground) · sh сахра́нити (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · az basdırmaq (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · uk похорони́ти (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · tr defnetmek (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · be пахава́ць (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · pt inumar (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · ko 묻다 (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · ar قَبَرَ (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · ba ҡуйыу (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · sl pokopavati (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · gl enterrar (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · uk хорони́ти (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · mn булшлах (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · uk зарива́ти (to place in the ground) · ba күмеү (to place in the ground) · enm graven (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · az torpağa tapşırmaq (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · mww faus (to place in the ground) · fr enterrer (to hide or conceal as if by covering with earth) · enm birien (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · hi दफ़नाना (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · ba күмеү (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · mbb leveng (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · pt soterrar (to place in the ground) · cmn 掩埋 (to place in the ground) · fi upottaa (to score a goal) · la tumulō (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · tl maglibing (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · kk көму (to place in the ground) · ka დამარხვა (to place in the ground) · hi दफ़न करना (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · ja 葬る (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · cy claddu (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · kk жерлеу (to place in the ground) · nn gravleggja (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · ium biopv (to place in the ground) · sv begrava (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · pl zakopać (to place in the ground) · la dēfodiō (to place in the ground) · nrf entèrrer (to place in the ground) · cs pohřbít (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · pt sepultar (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · tl madumog (to hide or conceal as if by covering with earth) · bg заро́вя (to place in the ground) · ht antere (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · sh sahranjívati (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · tl libing (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · aii ܩܵܒ݂ܹܪ (to place in the ground) · nb gravlegge (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · sk pochovať (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · it sprofondare (to hide or conceal as if by covering with earth) · la īnfodiō (to place in the ground) · ru хорони́ть (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · da begrave (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · tsg kubul (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · et matma (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · gl soterrar (to place in the ground) · uz dafn qilmoq (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · zh 埋 (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · es dar sepultura (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · izh havvata (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · aii ܩܵܒ݂ܹܪ (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · pl chować (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · gez ቀበረ (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · cs pohřbívat (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · sh zakopavati (to hide or conceal as if by covering with earth) · ru пря́тать (to hide or conceal as if by covering with earth) · eo enfosi (to place in the ground) · fi jäädä jonkin varjoon (to render imperceptible by other, more prominent stimuli) · sv gräva ner/gräva ned (to place in the ground) · qu p'ampay (to place in the ground) · yi באַגראָבן (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · ru погреба́ть (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · ko 매장하다 (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · qu p'ampakuy (to hide or conceal as if by covering with earth) · am ቀበረ (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · ro îngropa (to place in the ground) · mfe antere (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · ug دەپنە قىلماق (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · pl pochować (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · ca enterrar (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · ivv ilaveng (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · pl zakopywać (to place in the ground) · my မြေချ (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · bg погреба́ (to inter a corpse in a grave or tomb) · it mettere una pietra sopra (to put an end to; to abandon) · rup ngrupiljedz (to place in the ground) · ny kudzála (to place in the ground)
Indisputable, though very dim to modern vision, rests on its hill-slope that same Bury, Stow, or Town of St. Edmund; already a considerable place, not without traffic 1843 April, Thomas Carlyle, “ch. 5, Twelfth Century”, in Past and Present, American edition, Boston, Mass.: Charles C[offin] Little and James Brown, published 1843, →OCLC, book II (The Ancient Monk):