Meaning of burthen | Babel Free

Definitions

1. Archaic form of burden.
   alt-of, archaic
2. The tonnage of a ship based on the number of tuns of wine that it could carry in its holds.
   historical, obsolete
3. Rarely used musical tempo, meaning slow and ponderous (e.g., moving under a burden); similar to largo.
4. A section of music with the tempo mark burthen.

Examples

“Nor less, I trust, To them I may have owed another gift, Of aspect more sublime; that blessed mood, In which the burthen of the mystery, In which the heavy and the weary weight Of all this unintelligible world, Is lightened:”

“It was with a daughter of Mr Shepherd, who had returned, after an unprosperous marriage, to her father's house, with the additional burthen of two children.”

“In some cases the conquering state contented itself with imposing a tribute on the vanquished: who, being, in consideration of that burthen, freed from the expense and trouble of their own military and naval protection, might enjoy under it a considerable share of economical prosperity, […]”

“Bidding them grope their way out and bestir, […] though the worst Burthen of heat was theirs and the dry thirst”

“[...] and thence to Calstock, a town on the Tamar, which is washed by the sea flowing through Plymouth Sound and Hamoaze, and which place vessels of 200 tons burthen can reach at spring tides—[...].”

CEFR level