com-būro (conb-), ussi, ustum, ĕre, v. a. [root bur-, pur-; cf. burrus, Gr. πυρρός, pruna, Gr. πίμπρημι, and Lat. bustum], to burn up, consume (class.).
I Prop.: quae potuere Nec cum capta capi, nec cum combusta cremari, Enn. ap. Macr. S. 6, 1 (Ann. v. 360 Vahl.): fumo comburi nihil potest, Plaut. Curc. 1, 1, 54: flamma comburens impete magno, Lucr. 6, 153: is ejus (solis) tactus est, ut saepe comburat, Cic. N. D. 2, 15, 40: aedis, Plaut. Aul. 2, 6, 12: frumentum omne, Caes. B. G. 1, 5: naves, id. B. C. 3, 101: annales, Cic. Div. 1, 17, 33; cf. id. N. D. 1, 23, 63; Liv. 33, 11, 1: religiosas vestes, * Suet. Tib. 36: aliquem vivum, Cic. Tusc. 2, 22, 52; Auct. B. Hisp. 20; so of persons: et patrem et filium vivos conburere, Cic. Q. Fr. 1, 2, 2, § 6; Serv ap. Cic. Fam. 4, 12, 3; Cic. Att. 14, 10, 1.—Hence,
B P. a., as subst.; combustum , i, n., a burn , a wound made by burning combusta sanare, Plin. 20, 3, 8, § 17: combustis mederi, id. 22, 25, 69, § 141. —
II Trop. comburere aliquem judicio, to ruin , destroy , Cic. Q. Fr. 1, 2, 2, § 6 (v. the passage in connection). So to be consumed by love , * Prop. 2 (3), 30, 29: diem to pass it in carousing , q. s. to bear it to its grave (the figure borrowed from burning dead bodies), Plaut. Men. 1, 2, 43.