Burden

n. 1 load, esp. a heavy one. 2 oppressive duty, expense, emotion, etc. 3 bearing of loads (beast of burden). 4 a refrain of a song. b chief theme of a speech, book, etc. v. load with a burden; oppress. n burdensome adj. [Old English: related to Bram] burden of proof n. obligation to prove one’s case.