burke
[ burk ]
/ bɜrk /
verb (used with object), burked, burk·ing.
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.
Words nearby burke
burin, burj dubai, burk, burka, burkburnett, burke, burke, edmund, burkina faso, burkinabé, burkini, burkitt
Origin of burke
after W. Burke, hanged in 1829 in Edinburgh for murders of this kind
OTHER WORDS FROM burke
burk·er, burk·ite [bur-kahyt] /ˈbɜr kaɪt/, nounDefinition for burke (2 of 3)
Burke
[ burk ]
/ bɜrk /
noun
BillieMary William Ethelbert Appleton Burke, 1886–1970, U.S. actress.
Edmund,1729–97, Irish statesman, orator, and writer.
Kenneth Du·va [doo-vey] /duˈveɪ/, 1897–1993, U.S. literary critic.
Definition for burke (3 of 3)
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for burke
British Dictionary definitions for burke (1 of 3)
burke
/ (bɜːk) /
verb (tr)
to murder in such a way as to leave no marks on the body, usually by suffocation
to get rid of, silence, or suppress
Word Origin for burke
C19: named after William Burke, executed in Edinburgh for a murder of this type
British Dictionary definitions for burke (2 of 3)
Burke
/ (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
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
William . 1792–1829, Irish murderer and body snatcher; associate of William Hare
British Dictionary definitions for burke (3 of 3)
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