burnburn /bɜːnbɜːrn/ verb (past tensepst and past participlepp burned or burnt /bɜːntbɜːrnt/) [transitiveT]1COMPUTING to copy information held on a computer’s HARD DRIVE onto a CD ROM 2be/get burned informal to lose a lot of money in a business deal, usually because it involves a high riskA lot of investors got burned buying junk bonds which turned out to be worthless.
3burn your fingers/get your fingers burnt informal to suffer from the results of an unsuccessful business activitySince burning their fingers on 100% lending that turned into bad debt, lenders have been limiting borrowing to 75% of the property’s value.