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barnburner

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
See also: Barnburner and barn burner

English

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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From barn +‎ burner, from the idea of burning down a barn to get rid of a rat infestation.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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barnburner (plural barnburners)

  1. (Midland US, idiomatic) A sensationally exciting or successful event or person.
    • 2007 January 26, The New York Times, “Classical Music/Opera Listings”, in New York Times[1]:
      Those deathless twin barnburners return to the Metropolitan Opera tonight.
    • 2023 October 7, Edward Luce, “The unending Republican revolution”, in FT Weekend, page 6:
      It is hard to know what could convince the barnburners to change their ways. The Maga base rewards them with money and the media lavishes them with airtime.
  2. (slang, chiefly Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland) A strike-anywhere match.
    Synonym: lucifer (Britain, archaic)
    Antonym: safety match
  3. (literal) One who burns down a barn.
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See also

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