burn v Cp OED ~ v¹ 13 d 'to produce on (anything) an effect resembling that of burning' for senses 1 (a), 2, 3; 4 c (1667) and burning vbl sb (1667, 1753) for sense 4.
   1 Of a seal's skin, (a) to make tender or sore by exposure to the sun; (b) to spoil for processing through failure to bleed the animal quickly.
   1924 ENGLAND 100-1 Sometimes a seal ... is unwilling to take the water because its pelt gets sunburned and so tender that it tears. I have seen 'burned' skins that could be ripped with the finger. 1978 Decks Awash vii (1), p. 29 It's difficult to get rid of 'burned' pelts. Pelts 'burn' when the seal is not bled immediately after being shot. The skin becomes rotten and is totally valueless.
   2 In the curing of cod-fish, to spoil the texture of the dried fish by using too much salt or by excessive exposure to sun: SALT n: SALT BURN, SUNBURNT.
   [1663] 1963 YONGE 57 A salter is a skilful officer, for too much salt burns the fish and makes it break. 1778 DE CASSINI 147 A different depth of salt is requisite for different fishes. Too much salt burns up the fish, and makes it brittle when it comes to dry, and too little makes it greasy, and difficult to dry. P 245-55 Burnt fish [is] codfish over-exposed to the sun while drying.
   3 To freeze a part of the body in extreme cold; to experience discomfort in the cold; FROSTBURN n.
   1708 GEARE 20 Several of those that died in the Boat were so burnt in their Feet ... we should pull off their Toes with their Stockings. [1772] 1792 CARTWRIGHT i, 214 John Tilsed having burnt his toes again, on the twenty-second of January, in returning home from hence, and having thawed them by the fire, they mortified so far that he lost both nails, and bared the ends of the bones. [1776] ibid ii, 136 Stopping to fresh tail a trap was at the risk of fingers and toes: for the instant a bare hand came in contact with a cold trap, it was burnt almost equal to what it would have been by a red hot iron. [1794] 1968 THOMAS 125 They lighted a fire and continued rambling along the shore for three days in a deplorable condition, all of their fingers being burnt (as it is called) with the Frost. 1924 ENGLAND 39 A sailor [was] holding snow to his 'burned' (frozen) cheeks to keep them from freezing more. T 222-66 Sometimes in early spring the slob ice comes in an' it's enough to burn 'ee on the land, or in other words enough to freeze you. 1972 BROWN 231 [of members of a sealing crew rescued from the ice floes] They're all burned to some degree, Cap'n, but there's some pretty bad cases that need a doctor.
   4 Of the salt water, to be phosphorescent.
   1861 NOBLE 91 At every dip of the oars it was like unraking the sparkling embers, so brilliant was that beautiful light of the sea. The boatmen called it the burning of the water. 'When the water burnt,' they said 'it was a sure sign of south wind and a plenty of fish.' 1900 J A Folklore xiii, 299 The sea 'burning' is a sign of a northwest wind.
   5 Phr burn down: to bank down the fires on a steam-powered sealing vessel and stop in one place.
   1924 ENGLAND 66 The tired old ship, unable to advance in the teeth of such frenzy, 'burned down' for the night; which is to say, stopped and reduced steam. 1972 BROWN 29 Far off, but still in sight, the steel fleet had run into heavy ice and was forced to burn down also.
   6 Comb burned ocky, burnt ~ [phonetics unavailable]: boiled molasses, or a candy prepared from this molasses; cp OCKY and BERRY OCKY.
   C 71-117 To make burned ocky, molasses is boiled in a saucepan. After it cools a little but is still soft, the stuff is pulled, twisted, cut into short sticks and eaten as candy.

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