burke

[ burk ]
See synonyms for burke on Thesaurus.com
verb (used with object),burked, burk·ing.
  1. to murder, as by suffocation, so as to leave no or few marks of violence.

  2. to suppress or get rid of by some indirect maneuver.

Origin of burke

1
After W. Burke, hanged in 1829 in Edinburgh for murders of this kind

Other words from burke

  • burker, burk·ite [bur-kahyt], /ˈbɜr kaɪt/, noun

Words Nearby burke

Other definitions for Burke (2 of 2)

Burke
[ burk ]

noun
  1. Billie Mary William Ethelbert Appleton Burke, 1886–1970, U.S. actress.

  2. Edmund, 1729–97, Irish statesman, orator, and writer.

  1. Kenneth Du·va [doo-vuh], /duˈvə/, 1897–1993, U.S. literary critic.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use burke in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for burke (1 of 2)

burke

/ (bɜːk) /


verb(tr)
  1. to murder in such a way as to leave no marks on the body, usually by suffocation

  2. to get rid of, silence, or suppress

Origin of burke

1
C19: named after William Burke, executed in Edinburgh for a murder of this type

British Dictionary definitions for Burke (2 of 2)

Burke

/ (bɜːk) /


noun
  1. Edmund . 1729–97, British Whig statesman, conservative political theorist, and orator, born in Ireland: defended parliamentary government and campaigned for a more liberal treatment of the American colonies; denounced the French Revolution

  2. Robert O'Hara . 1820–61, Irish explorer, who led the first expedition (1860–61) across Australia from south to north. He was accompanied by W. J. Wills, George Grey, and John King; King alone survived the return journey

  1. William . 1792–1829, Irish murderer and body snatcher; associate of William Hare

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