burnout: Meaning and Definition of

burn•out

Pronunciation: (bûrn'out"), [key]
— n.
  1. a fire that is totally destructive of something.
  2. fatigue, frustration, or apathy resulting from prolonged stress, overwork, or intense activity.
    1. the termination of effective combustion in a rocket engine, due to exhaustion of propellant.
    2. the end of the powered portion of a rocket's flight.
  3. the breakdown of a lamp, motor, or other electrical device due to the heat created by the current flowing through it.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.