† comˈbure, v. Obs.
[ad. OF. comburir (also in Pr.), ad. L. combūr-ĕre to burn up, consume.
The inflexion of combūrĕre is precisely like that of ūrĕre to burn, with its compounds ambūrĕre, adūrĕre, exūrĕre, etc., and it takes the place of a *com-ūrĕre; but the difficulty of accounting for comb- as a variety of the prefix has suggested a parallel radical *būrĕre, whence prob. bustum.]
1. trans. To burn up, consume by fire.
| 1570 Sempill Ballates (1872) 92 Thay Bouchers thy Father did combure. 1597 Montgomerie Cherrie & Slae 970 Thy furious flaming fyre, Quhilk dois thy bailfull briest combuir. 1599 A. M. tr. Gabelhouer's Bk. Physicke 9/2 Combure the same to ashes. Ibid. 25/1 Take..Castoreum, of the weight of the combured swallowes. 1613 R. C. Table Alph. (ed. 3), Combure, burne, or consume with fire. |
2. intr. (for refl.)
| 1590 A. M. tr. Gabelhouer's Bk. Physicke 52/1 Let it combure, till of it selfe it extinguishe. |