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
See also:
  • 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