"Burke" Definition

Definitions for the word "Burke" from multiple English dictionaries.

1. slang
to kill, to murder, secretly and without noise, by means of strangulation. From Burke, the notorious Edinburgh murderer, who, with an accomplice named Hare, used to decoy people into the den he inhabited, kill them, and sell their bodies for dissection. The wretches having been apprehended and tried, Burke was executed, while Hare, having turned king’s evidence, was released. Bishop and Williams were their London imitators. The term BURKE is now usually applied to any project that is quietly stopped or stifled—as “the question has been BURKED.” A book suppressed before publication is said to be BURKED.
Source: The Slang Dictionary, 1864

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This page provides a list of definitions and meanings for "Burke" from various historical English dictionaries. By displaying multiple definitions, you can compare and contrast different meanings and nuances of a word, phrase, or slang. You can also see the changes in meaning of "Burke" over time by viewing the definitions from different dictionaries published at different times in history. The page also includes other information to help users expand their vocabulary and understand the context of the word.

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