burke
1 Americanverb (used with object)
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to murder, as by suffocation, so as to leave no or few marks of violence.
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to suppress or get rid of by some indirect maneuver.
noun
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Billie Mary William Ethelbert Appleton Burke, 1886–1970, U.S. actress.
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Edmund, 1729–97, Irish statesman, orator, and writer.
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Kenneth Duva 1897–1993, U.S. literary critic.
noun
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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
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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
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William . 1792–1829, Irish murderer and body snatcher; associate of William Hare
verb
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to murder in such a way as to leave no marks on the body, usually by suffocation
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to get rid of, silence, or suppress
Other Word Forms
- burker noun
- burkite noun
Etymology
Origin of burke
After W. Burke, hanged in 1829 in Edinburgh for murders of this kind
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
No use attempting to burke what is open secret.
From Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 103, August 20, 1892 by Various
Confound the greedy hypocrite!" said Bob; "does he think we shall let him burke the line for nothing?
From Stories by English Authors: Scotland (Selected by Scribners) by Barrie, J. M. (James Matthew)
There is no disposition here to burke the fact that these responsibilities are serious, if not onerous; that they call for administrative statesmanship of a very high order.
From The Head Hunters of Northern Luzon by Willcox, Cornélis de Witt
I think they used it first for Pethick Lawrence, that man who did so much to run the old militant suffragettes and burke the proper discussion of woman's future.
From Marriage by Wells, H. G. (Herbert George)
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
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.
