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.
Billie Mary William Ethelbert Appleton Burke, 1886–1970, U.S. actress.
Edmund, 1729–97, Irish statesman, orator, and writer.
Kenneth Duva 1897–1993, U.S. literary critic.
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
to murder in such a way as to leave no marks on the body, usually by suffocation
to get rid of, silence, or suppress
After W. Burke, hanged in 1829 in Edinburgh for murders of this kind
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
There is no need for me to burke the words.
From The Record of Nicholas Freydon An Autobiography by Dawson, A. J. (Alec John)
He had been sure then, and he was sure now, that Ministers desired to burke the question, to deceive the people, to produce a bill that should be no bill.
From Phineas Finn The Irish Member by Trollope, Anthony
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 Hughes, Thomas
There seems to have been a strong determination on the part of the Government to burke the investigation.
From The Story of the Upper Canada Rebellion by Dent, John Charles
He has never been known to burke a school.
From Anticipations Of the Reaction of Mechanical and Scientific Progress upon Human life and Thought by Wells, H. G. (Herbert George)
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.
