that which is borne or carried; a load.-that which is borne with labor or difficulty; that which is grievous, wearisome, or oppressive.-the capacity of a vessel, or the weight of cargo that she will carry; as, a ship of a hundred tons burden.-the tops or heads of stream-work which lie over the stream of tin.-the proportion of ore and flux to fuel, in the charge of a blast furnace.-a fixed quantity of certain commodities; as, a burden of gad steel, 120 pounds.-a birth.-to encumber with weight (literal or figurative); to lay a heavy load upon; to load.-to oppress with anything grievous or trying; to overload; as, to burden a nation with taxes.-to impose, as a load or burden; to lay or place as a burden (something heavy or objectionable).-the verse repeated in a song, or the return of the theme at the end of each stanza; the chorus; refrain. hence: that which is often repeated or which is dwelt upon; the main topic; as, the burden of a prayer.-the drone of a bagpipe.-a club.