burton

¹

[ bur-tn ]

noun

, Nautical.

1. any of various small tackles for use on shipboard.
2. Spanish burton.

burton

²

[ bur-tn ]

Burton

³

[ bur-tn ]

noun

1. Harold Hitz [hits], 1888–1964, associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court 1945–58.
2. Sir Richard Richard Jenkins, 1925–84, English actor, born in Wales.
3. Sir Richard Francis, 1821–90, English explorer, Orientalist, and writer.
4. Robert Democritus Junior, 1577–1640, English clergyman and author.
5. a town in central Michigan.
6. a male given name.

Burton

¹

/ ˈbɜːtən /

noun

1. BurtonSir Richard Francis18211890MEnglishTRAVEL AND EXPLORATION: explorerMISC: OrientalistWRITING: writer Sir Richard Francis . 1821–90, English explorer, Orientalist, and writer who discovered Lake Tanganyika with John Speke (1858); produced the first unabridged translation of The Thousand Nights and a Night (1885–88)
2. BurtonRichard19251984MWelshTHEATRE: stage actorFILMS AND TV: actor Richard , real name Richard Jenkins . 1925–84, Welsh stage and film actor: films include Becket (1964), Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966), and Equus (1977)
3. BurtonRobert15771640MEnglishRELIGION: clergymanMISC: scholarWRITING: writer Robert , pen name Democritus Junior . 1577–1640, English clergyman, scholar, and writer, noted for his Anatomy of Melancholy (1621)
4. BurtonTim1958MUSFILMS AND TV: director Tim. born 1958, US film director whose work includes Beetlejuice (1988), Batman (1989), Edward Scissorhands (1990), Ed Wood (1994), Corpse Bride (2005), and Alice in Wonderland (2010)

burton

²

/ ˈbɜːtən /

noun

1. nautical a kind of light hoisting tackle
2. go for a burton slang.
   go for a burton
   1. to be broken, useless, or lost
   2. to die

Word History and Origins

Origin of burton¹

1695–1705; probably by metathesis from Breton ( takles ), Brytton ( takles ) (late 15th cent.); Breton, Briton

Origin of burton²

First recorded in 1940–45; origin unclear

Word History and Origins

Origin of burton¹

C15: of uncertain origin

Example Sentences

When watching a kid struggle to complete a math problem, “it’s very tempting for a parent to want to get in there and rescue the child, which doesn’t always help in the long run,” Burton said.

From Washington Post

When Burton and Taylor were in Rome filming “Cleopatra,” Burton had to travel for a week.

From Washington Blade

Burton founder Jake Burton Carpenter coined the term snowboarding and developed the first snowboard setup as a riff on Poppen’s stand-up, cut novelty item.

From Outside Online

Burton found no statistically significant effect from the bans on whether people remained smokers or on violent crime.

From Vox

Notably, Burton did not control for the cost of alcohol or taxes on alcohol in her results.

From Vox

Steiger was nominated, and Richard Burton, and a lot of people in bigger movies.

From The Daily Beast

For the past decade or so, Tim Burton was a bit lost in CG land.

From The Daily Beast

The Daily Beast sat down with Burton to discuss Big Eyes and his beautiful, dark, twisted career.

From The Daily Beast

Whatever the reason, Burton was committed enough to leave tiny Bunker Hill to seek out her beau.

From The Daily Beast

Down a one-lane gravel road sits the house Burton left seven years ago.

From The Daily Beast

Quaint old Burton in his "Anatomy of Melancholy," recognizes the virtues of the plant while he anathematizes its abuse.

From Project Gutenberg

Sergeant Burton knelt down and gingerly laid his hand upon the stained linen over the breast of Sir Lucien.

From Project Gutenberg

While the others stood grouped about that still figure on the floor, Sergeant Burton entered the little office.

From Project Gutenberg

Burton's work on unexplored Syria is full of passages relating to tobacco and the custom of smoking.

From Project Gutenberg

Mr. Burton, in his lately published "Narratives," points out another source of information regarding Drury, in the Gent.

From Project Gutenberg