Meaning

• A heavy load.

• A responsibility, onus.

• A cause of worry; that which is grievous, wearisome, or oppressive.

• The capacity of a vessel, or the weight of cargo that she will carry.

  "a ship of a hundred tons burden"

• The tops or heads of stream-work which lie over the stream of tin.

• The proportion of ore and flux to fuel, in the charge of a blast furnace.

• A fixed quantity of certain commodities.

  "A burden of gad steel is 120 pounds."

• A birth.

• The total amount of toxins, parasites, cancer cells, plaque or similar present in an organism.

Meaning

• To encumber with a literal or figurative burden.

  "to burden a nation with taxes"

• To impose, as a load or burden; to lay or place as a burden (something heavy or objectionable).