burden

n 1: an onerous or difficult concern; "the burden of

responsibility"; "that's a load off my mind" [syn: {load},

{encumbrance}, {incumbrance}, {onus}]

2: something to be borne or conveyed [syn: {load}, {loading}]

3: the central meaning or theme of a speech or literary work

[syn: {effect}, {essence}, {core}, {gist}]

4: the central idea that is expanded in a document or discourse

v 1: weight down with a load [syn: {burthen}, {weight}, {weight

down}] [ant: {unburden}]

2: impose a task upon, assign a responsibility to; "He charged

her with cleaning up all the files over the weekend" [syn:

{charge}, {saddle}]