burner

Where low-priority tasks figuratively reside. Typically used in the phrase "put (something) on the back burner." The phrase refers to the back burner of a stove, which is where pots are usually placed to simmer on low heat. I know you're eager to start on this new project, but I'm afraid it's going on the back burner—we just don't have the budget for it right now. You need to go to a doctor! You can't put your health on the back burner any longer!

Any thing, event, or occasion that is especially exciting, impressive, or successful. I had so much fun at Jonathan's bachelor party last night; it was a real barnburner! The majority of the game was rather lackluster, but it was a barnburner in the final quarter.

To be a low priority; to get less or little thought or attention; to have been postponed or suspended. Work stuff will be on the back burner for a while once my son is born. I think that painting the house should be on the back burner until we decide on what furniture we want to buy.

A pejorative term for a female supporter of the women's liberation movements of the 1960s and '70s. (Although the actual burning of brassieres has been disputed, it is still associated with these movements.) Ugh, what are these bra-burners yapping about now?

A social media account that one uses to post anonymously and avoid having their posts (usually ones that are inappropriate somehow) traced to them. The 76ers GM resigned after being linked to burner accounts on Twitter that shared private information about several players.

A cell phone, usually prepaid, that one uses to avoid having their activities (often illicit or inappropriate ones) traced to them. The suspect's wife didn't know he had a second phone, so I bet it's a burner phone he used for drug deals.

To have success in a particular activity. Once we dislodged that piece, we were really cooking on the front burner on this repair. That's a great idea—now you're cooking on the front burner!

slang To have success in a particular activity. Once we dislodge that piece, we might cook with gas on this repair. That's a great idea—now you're cooking with gas!

A device that burns oil and gives off heat, such as a furnace or boiler. Turn on the oil burner, will you? It's freezing in here!

Of a low priority; given less or little thought or attention; postponed or suspended. I think that painting the house should be on the back burner until we decide on what furniture we want to buy. I'm going to be putting work stuff on the back burner for a while after my son is born.

Of a high priority; given more or a lot of thought or attention. The landlords are coming to inspect the property next week, so cleaning needs to be on the front burner! Now that I'm finished with work for the summer, I can put my thesis on the front burner again.

To establish something as being a low priority; to give something less or little thought or attention; to postpone, suspend, or hold off on doing something. I'm going to be putting work stuff on the back burner for a while once my son is born. I think we should put painting the house on the back burner until we decide on what furniture we want to buy.

To establish something as a high priority; to give something more or a lot of thought or attention; to decide to do something immediately, right away, or sooner than other things. Now that I'm finished with work for the summer, I can put my thesis on the front burner again. We need to put picking out furniture on the front burner before we even discuss painting the house.

offensive slang A typically light and fast car or motorcycle manufactured in an East Asian country, especially Japan. Often used derogatorily, the term is typically considered racist for its use of rice as a stereotypical representative of such countries (where it is a staple food). A: "Check out the rice burner with the huge spoiler." B: "A rice burner? That's a bit politically incorrect, don't you think?" My old Mustang can go toe to toe with the fastest rice burners out there.

Any ball used in a sport that rolls along the ground at a very fast speed. Sometimes hyphenated. The golfer hit a worm burner off the tee that skidded into the rough. The worm-burner ricocheted off the defender's leg and slipped past the goalkeeper into the net.

Fig. [of something] on hold or suspended temporarily. (Alludes to putting a pot that needs less active attention on a back burner of a stove, leaving space for pots that need to be stirred. Compare this with on the front burner. *Typically: be ~; put something ~.) The building project is on the back burner for now. This matter was on the back burner for a long time.

Fig. receiving particular attention or consideration. (Compare this with on the back burner. *Typically: be ~; put something ~.) So, what's on the front burner for us this week? Move this project to the front burner so it will get some attention.

In a position of low priority. For example, I haven't forgotten his letter; I've just put it on a back burner for now. This term alludes to a cook's putting items requiring less attention at the back of the stove. [Colloquial; mid-1900s] Also see front burner.

Also, cook on the front burner. Do very well, make rapid progress. For example, The first half is finished already? Now you're cooking with gas, or Two promotions in two years-she's really cooking on the front burner! The first of these metaphoric phrases alludes to gas stoves, which began to replace slower wood-burning stoves about 1915. The variant, which alludes to something on a stove's front burner receiving more attention, is heard less often today. [Slang; 1940s] Also see back burner.

Also, on the front burner. A position of relatively great importance or high priority. For example, The boss said this project is now on a front burner. This expression alludes to a cook's putting the items requiring the most attention at the front of the stove. [1960s] Also see back burner.

COMMON If you put a project or issue on the back burner, you decide not to do anything about it until a later date. Note: A burner is one of the rings or plates on the top of a cooker. She put her career on the back burner after marrying her co-star two years ago. People's dreams have once again been put on the back burner as they concern themselves with survival from one day to the next. Note: Back burner is used in other structures and expressions with a similar meaning. Long-term health care advocates worry that the expense will push this issue onto a back burner. In this climate, website development is an obvious candidate for the back burner.

If you put a project or issue on the front burner, you start to give it a lot of attention. Note: A burner is one of the rings or plates on the top of a cooker. By putting tourism on the front burner, the government has opened up the opportunity for a substantial growth in visitors long-term. Note: Front burner is used in other structures and expressions with a similar meaning. This issue is not exactly on their front burner.

As a low priority: kept the project on the back burner all summer.

As a high priority.

A position of high priority. This relatively new term, from the 1960s, alludes to a cook’s putting food that needs the most attention on the front burners of the stove. It was soon being used figuratively, as in “Put this editorial on a front burner; it’s going into the next issue.” For the converse, see put on hold.

To postpone, delay, keep in reserve. The oldest of these nearly synonymous terms is to put something on ice, the transfer from food storage (on ice blocks) to anything kept in reserve occurring in the late nineteenth century. Chefs put food that is either finished or cooks more quickly than the rest of a meal on a back burner of the range. By about 1930, this term was transferred to temporarily shelving any item or project or plan, originally in the United States, and came into general use about thirty years later. To put on hold also dates from the mid-twentieth century. It began to be used for the temporary interruption or suspension of a space launch and/or a telephone conversation. It was commonplace in both activities by about 1960 and was rapidly transferred to other kinds of delay, although its literal application—interrupting a telephone connection to wait for its resumption—is still current, along with the irritations generated by call waiting. See also your call is important.