burke
1 Americanverb (used with object)
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to murder, as by suffocation, so as to leave no or few marks of violence.
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to suppress or get rid of by some indirect maneuver.
noun
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Billie Mary William Ethelbert Appleton Burke, 1886–1970, U.S. actress.
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Edmund, 1729–97, Irish statesman, orator, and writer.
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Kenneth Duva 1897–1993, U.S. literary critic.
noun
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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
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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
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William . 1792–1829, Irish murderer and body snatcher; associate of William Hare
verb
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to murder in such a way as to leave no marks on the body, usually by suffocation
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to get rid of, silence, or suppress
Other Word Forms
- burker noun
- burkite noun
Etymology
Origin of burke
After W. Burke, hanged in 1829 in Edinburgh for murders of this kind
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Better perhaps not to burke the matter that she knew was on his mind.
From The Thousandth Woman by Hornung, Ernest W.
There must be no question of trying to shirk or burke it.
From My Friend Prospero by Harland, Henry
It has been said that in the delays in bringing forward this subject, I have been anxious to burke discussion.
From Indian speeches (1907-1909) by Morley, John
He added: "The Government ... has no disposition or desire to burke the question; it is clearly an issue on which the new House ought to be given an opportunity to express its views."
From The History of Woman Suffrage, Volume VI by Harper, Ida Husted
Little joy would you have had in most that has befallen since the Reform Bill was passed, to the chivalrous cry of "burke Sir Walter."
From Letters to Dead Authors by Lang, Andrew
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
