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Surplus vs Burden - What's the difference?

surplus | burden | Related terms |

In lang=en terms the difference between surplus and burden

is that surplus is assets left after liabilities and debts, including capital stock have been deducted while burden is a phrase or theme that recurs at the end of each verse in a folk song or ballad.

As nouns the difference between surplus and burden

is that surplus is that which remains when use or need is satisfied, or when a limit is reached; excess; overplus while burden is a heavy load.

As an adjective surplus

is being or constituting a surplus; more than sufficient; as, surplus revenues; surplus population; surplus words.

As a verb burden is

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

surplus

English

Noun

(en-noun)
  • That which remains when use or need is satisfied, or when a limit is reached; excess; overplus.
  • Specifically, an amount in the public treasury at any time greater than is required for the ordinary purposes of the government.
  • (legal) The remainder of a fund appropriated for a particular purpose.
  • (legal) assets left after liabilities and debts, including capital stock have been deducted.
  • Antonyms

    * lack * deficit

    Adjective

    (-)
  • Being or constituting a surplus; more than sufficient; as, surplus revenues; surplus population; surplus words.
  • * {{quote-magazine, title=A better waterworks, date=2013-06-01, volume=407, issue=8838
  • , page=5 (Technology Quarterly), magazine=(The Economist) citation , passage=An artificial kidney these days still means a refrigerator-sized dialysis machine. Such devices mimic the way real kidneys cleanse blood and eject impurities and surplus water as urine.}}

    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

    *