What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Oppression vs Burden - What's the difference?

oppression | burden | Related terms |

As nouns the difference between oppression and burden

is that oppression is the exercise of authority or power in a burdensome, cruel, or unjust manner while burden is a heavy load.

As a verb burden is

to encumber with a burden (in any of the noun senses of the word).

oppression

English

Noun

  • The exercise of authority or power in a burdensome, cruel, or unjust manner.
  • * (Sir Walter Raleigh)
  • Oh, by what plots, by what forswearings, betrayings, oppressions , imprisonments, tortures, poisonings, and under what reasons of state and politic subtilty, have these forenamed kings
  • The act of oppressing, or the state of being oppressed.
  • A feeling of being oppressed.
  • *, chapter=7
  • , title= The Mirror and the Lamp , passage=[…] St.?Bede's at this period of its history was perhaps the poorest and most miserable parish in the East End of London. Close-packed, crushed by the buttressed height of the railway viaduct, rendered airless by huge walls of factories, it at once banished lively interest from a stranger's mind and left only a dull oppression of the spirit.}}

    burden

    English

    (wikipedia burden)

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) burden, birden, burthen, birthen, byrthen, from (etyl) byrden, .

    Alternative forms

    * burthen (archaic)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A heavy load.
  • * 1898 , , (Moonfleet) Chapter 4
  • There were four or five men in the vault already, and I could hear more coming down the passage, and guessed from their heavy footsteps that they were carrying burdens .
  • A responsibility, onus.
  • A cause of worry; that which is grievous, wearisome, or oppressive.
  • * Jonathan Swift
  • Deaf, giddy, helpless, left alone, / To all my friends a burden grown.
  • The capacity of a vessel, or the weight of cargo that she will carry.
  • a ship of a hundred tons burden
  • (mining) The tops or heads of stream-work which lie over the stream of tin.
  • (metalworking) The proportion of ore and flux to fuel, in the charge of a blast furnace.
  • (Raymond)
  • A fixed quantity of certain commodities.
  • A burden of gad steel is 120 pounds.
  • (obsolete, rare) A birth.
  • That bore thee at a burden two fair sons

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To encumber with a burden (in any of the noun senses of the word ).
  • to burden a nation with taxes
  • * Bible, 2 Corinthians viii. 13
  • I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened .
  • * Shakespeare
  • My burdened heart would break.
  • To impose, as a load or burden; to lay or place as a burden (something heavy or objectionable).
  • * Coleridge
  • It is absurd to burden this act on Cromwell.
    Derived terms
    * burdensome * beast of burden

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) bordon. See bourdon.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (music) A phrase or theme that recurs at the end of each verse in a folk song or ballad.
  • * 1610 , , act 1 scene 2
  • [...] Foot it featly here and there; / And, sweet sprites, the burden bear.
  • * 1846 ,
  • As commonly used, the refrain, or burden , not only is limited to lyric verse, but depends for its impression upon the force of monotone - both in sound and thought.
  • The drone of a bagpipe.
  • (Ruddiman)
  • (obsolete) Theme, core idea.
  • Anagrams

    *