burgess
[bur-jis]
- American History. a representative in the popular branch of the colonial legislature of Virginia or Maryland.
- (formerly) a representative of a borough in the British Parliament.
- Rare. an inhabitant of an English borough.
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Origin of burgess
Burgess
[bur-jis]
- Anthony,1917–93, English novelist and critic.
- (Frank) Ge·lett [juh-let] /dʒəˈlɛt/, 1866–1951, U.S. illustrator and humorist.
- Thornton Waldo,1874–1965, U.S. author, especially of children's books.
- a male given name.
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Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for burgess
Contemporary Examples
Calls to Burgess to comment on this story were not returned.
In any case, Burgess likes to rail against these pushy liberals and their tricky, communistic light bulbs.
Burgess, nominated for Earthly Powers, would not attend the ceremony unless the committee guaranteed him a win.
It was Philby, it turned out, who alerted Maclean and Burgess that they should escape to the Soviet Union in 1951.
Any public attention had been on his possible role in tipping off Burgess and Maclean.
Historical Examples
Stephen caught the bridle, and Ambrose helped the burgess into the saddle.
The Armourer's PrenticesCharlotte M. Yonge
Some years ago, your good town did me the honour of making me an honorary Burgess.
The Letters of Robert BurnsRobert Burns
"Oh, Cap'n Burgess didn't fix the table, if that's what you mean," said the new nurse.
Cap'n EriJoseph Crosby Lincoln
They also ordered every burgess to provide himself with a bucket.
William ShakespeareSamuel Levy Bensusan
She then suddenly remembered that Mr. Burgess was no longer living in her hotel.
TelepathyW. W. Baggally
burgess
- (in England)
- a citizen or freeman of a borough
- any inhabitant of a borough
- English history a Member of Parliament from a borough, corporate town, or university
- a member of the colonial assembly of Maryland or Virginia
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Word Origin
C13: from Old French burgeis, from borc town, from Late Latin burgus, of Germanic origin; see borough
Burgess
- Anthony, real name John Burgess Wilson . 1917–93, English novelist and critic: his novels include A Clockwork Orange (1962), Tremor of Intent (1966), Earthly Powers (1980), and Any Old Iron (1989)
- Guy . 1911–63, British spy, who fled to the Soviet Union (with Donald Maclean) in 1951
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Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for burgess
n.
c.1200, burgeis "citizen of a borough," from Old French borjois (Modern French bourgeois), from Late Latin burgensis (see bourgeois). Applied from late 15c. to borough representatives in Parliament and used later in Virginia and other colonies used to denote members of the legislative body, while in Pennsylvania, etc., it meant "member of the governing council of a borough."
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper