bork

[bawrk]

verb (used with object)

to attack (a candidate or public figure) systematically, especially in the media.

Origin of bork

1988, Americanism; after Judge Robert H. Bork, whose appointment to the Supreme Court was blocked in 1987 after an extensive media campaign by his opponents

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for bork

Contemporary Examples of bork

[M]ost fail to mention that antitrust, the law of competitive marketplaces, is the first area where Bork left his mark.
Bork Made Your Life Better
Justin Green
December 27, 2012
And Bork would never have thought that anyone owed him a word of thanks.
Bork Made Your Life Better
Justin Green
December 27, 2012
Bork did not meet these ordinary American consumers or businesses.
Bork Made Your Life Better
Justin Green
December 27, 2012
According to Bork, Richardson agreed to do so but he never did.
Bork and Watergate: A Tale of Duty
Justin Green
December 21, 2012
When I asked Richardson why he never defended Bork at the time—or later—his answer was classic Washington: “No one asked me.”
Bork and Watergate: A Tale of Duty
Justin Green
December 21, 2012

Historical Examples of bork

So Bork and Thorkel both ran forward and were quicker than Thorgeir.
The story of Burnt Njal
Anonymous
Why not send for my friend, the famous Doctor Bork, of Christiania?
Ticket No. "9672"
Jules Verne
A minute later Hanson, Bork and Nema were alone with the old man.
The Sky Is Falling
Lester del Rey
Behind him, he heard Bork's chuckle and the soft laughter of Sather Karf.
The Sky Is Falling
Lester del Rey
There was a sharp explosion, a hissing, and Bork's voice calling.
The Sky Is Falling
Lester del Rey

Word Origin and History for bork

1987, "to discredit a candidate for some position by savaging his or her career and beliefs," from name of U.S. jurist Robert H. Bork (1927-2012), whose Supreme Court nomination in 1987 was rejected after an intense counter-campaign.