Burthen

I told her, as to her child, which she called her burthen, it should be no burthen to me; as to the rest she might do as she pleased; it might however do me this favor, that I should have no more lyings-in at the rate of £136 at a time, as I found she intended it should be now. ❋ Charles Dudley Warner (1864)

No man has a right to say unto his Maker, 'My burthen is heavier than I can bear.' ❋ Unknown (1897)

It may be this burthen will be a man child and inherit the Kingship after me; what sayest thou of this, O Shimas? ❋ Unknown (2006)

I know not how I shall offend in dedicating my unpolished lines to your lordship, nor how the world will censure me for choosing so strong a prop to support so weak a burthen: only, if your honour seem but pleased, I account myself highly praised, and vow to take advantage of all idle hours, till I have honoured you with some graver labour. ❋ Unknown (2004)

Labour is there so well rewarded that a numerous family of children, instead of being a burthen is a source of opulence and prosperity to the parents. ❋ Unknown (1909)

Their burthen was a door lifted from its hinges, and supported by three slender stakes drawn green from a hedgerow. ❋ Thomas Adolphus Trollope (1851)

Even for him it was no small effort, for his burthen was a sturdy man with the solidity of years, and nearly helpless, save that the warmth of Harold's body did give him just life and instinct to hold on, and let himself be bound to him with the long plaid so as least to impede his movements; but only one possessed of Harold's almost giant strength could have thus clambered the cutting at the nearest point to Arghouse and plodded through the snow. ❋ Charlotte Mary Yonge (1862)

And he carries to us a prophet's "burthen" of unspeakable import, and in words to which all through the Christian ages the soul has responded as to the words of the Holy Spirit. ❋ Unknown (1880)

The girl did not look at all like a maiden uneasy about her lost lover, but much more like one enjoying for the moment the immunity from a kind of burthen; and, as she smiled, called for Stephen's help in her little arrangements, and treated him in the friendly manner of old times, he could not but wonder at the panic that had overpowered him for a time like a fever of the mind. ❋ Charlotte Mary Yonge (1862)

Rght Honourable, I know not how I shall offend in dedicating my unpolished lines to your Lordship, nor how the world will censure me for choosing so strong a prop to support so weak a burthen; only if your Honour seem but pleased, I account myself highly praised, and vow to take advantage of all idle hours, till I have honoured you with some graver labour. ❋ Unknown (2009)

Finally, the chorus leaped in for a buoyant "His yoke is easy," letting the final words, "his burthen is light," float softly away. ❋ Heidi Waleson (2011)

The prospect was now brighter, declared the great orator, that the region could “throw off the burthen, which has been weighing down the South, exhausting her means & debasing her spirit, than it has been since 1828.” ❋ Robert W. Merry (2009)

They would say, “We had better get rid of the useless burthen.” ❋ Pauline Maier (2010)

Furthermore, Washington argued that we avoid “the accumulation of debt . . . by vigorous exertions in time of peace to discharge the debts which unavoidable wars have occasioned, not ungenerously throwing upon posterity the burthen which we ourselves ought to bear.” ❋ Glenn Beck (2010)

"Alice and I did a roleplay where I told her I'd [poked] pinholes in the rubber before I put it on, because I wanted to burthen her before I [skipped] out on her." "Burthen her? Like, knock her up?" "Yeah, turns out we both have a major [burthening] kink." ❋ Johnmburt1960 (2023)