burned out, to be
burned out, to be
Also, burn oneself out. Make or become tired of, particularly of one’s job or education. This figurative term alludes to a fire lacking fuel and therefore going out. It dates from the early 1800s. For example, “David was burned out; the law firm required 80 billing hours per week.” The noun burnout signifies the condition of being burned out. Graham Greene’s 1960 novel, A Burnt-Out Case, describes a protagonist afflicted with burnout.
See also: burn
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer
- Abraham
- Abraham's bosom
- crab mentality
- apron
- apron string
- binge-watch
- Daniel
- a Daniel come to judgement
- chips are down, the
- be in the Land of Nod