burke
verb (used with object)
to murder, as by suffocation, so as to leave no or few marks of violence.
Showing results for "burke"
- a variation of Burk.
burke
1 American
[burk]
/ bɜrk /
verb (used with object)
burked,
burking
-
to murder, as by suffocation, so as to leave no or few marks of violence.
-
to suppress or get rid of by some indirect maneuver.
Burke
2
American
[burk]
/ bɜrk /
noun
-
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.
Burke
1
British
/ bɜːk /
noun
-
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
burke
2
British
/ bɜːk /
verb
-
to murder in such a way as to leave no marks on the body, usually by suffocation
-
to get rid of, silence, or suppress
Other Word Forms
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.
See Examples For:
I'm no' gaun to burke ye the nicht; but I canna sleep; I'm sair misdoubtful o' the thing.
From Alton Locke, Tailor and Poet An Autobiography by Thomas Hughes
I think they used it first for Pethick Lawrence, that man who did so much to run the old militant suffragettes and burke the proper discussion of woman's future.
From Marriage by H. G. (Herbert George) Wells
Confound the greedy hypocrite!" said Bob; "does he think we shall let him burke the line for nothing?
From Stories by English Authors: Scotland (Selected by Scribners) by J. M. (James Matthew) Barrie
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 John Morley
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 Andrew Lang
“Hands down, the EV can win on energy cost, but we still have to make sure we don’t give those savings back through downtime and lost utilization,” Burke said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026
Washington played Dr. Preston Burke on “Grey’s Anatomy” in 2005 but was nixed from the medical drama in 2007 after an on-set spat with co-star Patrick Dempsey, a.k.a.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 6, 2026
Today’s house hunters are making calculations similar to the ones Burke and Stanley made in 2023.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 1, 2026
However, hearing chairman Iain Burke said the incidents were a "significant abuse of trust and power" for which she had shown no insight or remorse.
From BBC ● Sep. 28, 2026
And she was not just a mother, she was also a wife to Arthur Burke, who had two sons of his own.
From "Betty Before X" by Ilyasah Shabazz and Renée Watson
They burked the challenge then; their half measures of diplomatic ostracism only strengthened Franco with his own people.
From Time Magazine Archive
I am sorry to say that, stenographically speaking, I burked Isaiah, and contented myself with the long-hand abbreviation, Is., and as to the text itself, I thought the first three words would suffice.
From Curious Church Customs and Cognate Subjects by William Andrews
Or a rumour may be burked, or "hushed up."
From Stories That Words Tell Us by Elizabeth (Elizabeth Speakman) O'Neill
I’ve tried to get something out of Murad, but my messengers have failed; but all the same, I feel sure he knows all about it, and burked Arthur for a reason of his own.”
From One Maid's Mischief by George Manville Fenn
Here, then, are two parallels to Fisher's ghost, and very hard on psychical science it is that ghostly evidence should be deliberately burked through the prejudices of lawyers.
From The Valet's tragedy, and other studies by Andrew Lang
Macdonald's motion provoked charges of burking free discussion, and counter-charges of obstruction, want of patriotism and inclinations towards annexation.
From George Brown by John Lewis
"I'm not even allowed to weed my own garden now," John thought, burking the point at issue; and his disillusionment became so profound that he actually invited Harold to go for a walk with him.
From Poor Relations by Compton MacKenzie
I encounter a Vagualame disguised, who runs as if all the devils of hell were after him ... who makes off with extraordinary agility, whose presence of mind in burking pursuit is marvellous!...
From A Nest of Spies by Marcel Allain
It was a singular fact that the really effective means of burking inquiry by the local authorities only occurred to Armathwaite's perplexed brain as he was hurrying back to the Grange.
From The House 'Round the Corner by Louis Tracy
Well, of course, if Farrant chooses to insult Percival so gratuitously by burking his message to us....
From Waste A Tragedy, In Four Acts by Harley Granville-Barker
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