The phrase "to burn away" means to gradually reduce or eliminate something through a process of gradual erosion, dissolution, or consumption. This can refer to various situations where an object, substance, or condition is diminished over time by exposure to heat, flame, or other destructive force. For example, burning wood in a fireplace will gradually consume the logs until they are completely consumed and reduced to ashes; similarly, sunlight can cause fabric to fade away over time due to prolonged exposure. The phrase is also used figuratively to describe situations where something is slowly eliminated or diminished through other means such as erosion of a cliff face by the sea, or gradual loss of memory in someone with dementia.