buries - Master This Word
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buries Word Meanings
- to place a dead body in the ground
- to hide something underground
- to cover completely with earth or another substance
buries Example Sentences
Example sentences are the start of understanding. Don't rush to memorize. First feel how the word works in a sentence.
buries Phonetic & Pronunciation
UK
/ˈbɛri/
US
/ˈbɛri/
buries Word Etymology
bur- (to make a hole) + -y (verb suffix) → Old English burian, meaning 'to hide' or 'to cover'. Visualize burying something by digging a hole and placing it inside, then covering it with soil.
Note 1: These definitions and etymologies are not standard dictionary definitions, but extended explanations provided to help with memorization and understanding of the actual application of words. Through this background information, we strive to make words more vivid and easier to understand, and help you remember their meanings in real life.
Note 2: LexiTalk designs the learning flow around the linguistics principle of “Comprehensible Input.” When learners encounter material that is slightly above their level but still understandable from context, the brain naturally absorbs the language. That’s why we keep every word inside authentic contexts, using examples and associations to help you understand it and use it flexibly.
Read the FAQ explanation of Comprehensible InputEnglish Brain Route
I bend to push aside the leaves and move a small box into a shallow pit. I set the lid, adjust its position with careful hands, and keep my grip as dirt slides back over it. The earth settles with a soft sigh, and the weight of the moment rests on my shoulders. This little sequence—move, set, adjust, cover—feels like a private habit I could use in real life, whether hiding something or sealing it away.
Real Context
bury is a verb with several related senses. The main sense is to place a dead body in the ground, a routine action in funerals and for handling evidence, and it is often governed by legal and emotional context. A broader sense is to hide something underground or to cover something completely with earth or another material. The verb can be used figuratively, as in burying a memory, a secret, or one s feelings, or even to bury oneself in work. Learners should watch prepositions: bury something in the ground, bury a body in soil, or bury something under dirt. The idiom bury the hatchet means to make peace after a quarrel. Distinguish bury from inter, conceal, or hide in everyday speech.
Usage Reminders
- Remember the core senses: dead body, concealment, and coverage.
- Use correct prepositions: bury in the ground, bury under dirt.
- Distinguish literal vs figurative uses.
- Learn idioms like bury the hatchet.
- Avoid mixing bury with inter in everyday speech.
Common Misconceptions
- Bury is not the same as inter in everyday speech; inter is more formal and rarely used for the living.
- Some learners think bury only applies to bodies, not objects or ideas.
- Mixing up bury the hatchet with violent actions in casual talk.
- Confusing bury in the ground with hide under something without a location cue.
- Using bury with wrong prepositions like bury on instead of bury in/under.
Thinking Differences
English tends to use bury across literal and figurative senses with clear prepositional patterns; learners often overgeneralize or mix with hide or inter.
Learning Tips
- Do 6 targeted drills: bury in the ground, bury under, bury a memory, bury a lie, bury the hatchet, and bury yourself in work.
- Practice with both literal and figurative examples in different contexts.
- Learn common collocations and verb-preposition patterns.
- Use the idiom in appropriate, non violent contexts.
- Compare bury with inter and conceal to feel the nuance.
- Read or listen to news that mention burial or concealment to see real usage.
Related Listening
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