barnburner
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See also: Barnburner and barn burner
English[edit]
Alternative forms[edit]
Etymology[edit]
barn + burner, from the idea of burning down a barn to get rid of a rat infestation.
Pronunciation[edit]
Audio (AU) (file)
Noun[edit]
barnburner (plural barnburners)
- (Midland US, idiomatic) An extremely exciting or successful event or person.
- 2007 January 26, The New York Times, “Classical Music/Opera Listings”, in New York Times[1]:
- Those deathless twin barnburners return to the Metropolitan Opera tonight.
- 2023 October 7, Edward Luce, “The unending Republican revolution”, in FT Weekend, page 6:
- It is hard to know what could convince the barnburners to change their ways. The Maga base rewards them with money and the media lavishes them with airtime.
- (slang, chiefly Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland) A strike-anywhere match.
- (literal) One who burns down a barn.
Related terms[edit]
See also[edit]
- (exciting event): cliffhanger