| 释义 |
burke, v.|bɜːk|
[f. Burke, the name of a notorious criminal executed at Edinburgh in 1829, for smothering many persons in order to sell their bodies for dissection.]
1. trans. To murder, in the same manner or for the same purpose as Burke did; to kill secretly by suffocation or strangulation, or for the purpose of selling the victim's body for dissection.
1829Times 2 Feb. 3/5 As soon as the executioner proceeded to his duty, the cries of ‘Burke him, Burke him—give him no rope’..were vociferated..‘Burke Hare too!’ 1830Lamb Last Ess. (Chandos) 489 Positively burking you under pretence of cleansing. 1833T. Hook Parson's Dau. ii. i. 172 Perhaps he is Burked, and his body sold for nine pounds. a1845Barham Ingol. Leg., The Tragedy ad. fin., The rest of the rascals jump'd on him and Burk'd him.
2. fig. To smother, ‘hush up’, suppress quietly. Also, to evade, to shirk, to avoid.
1835J. A. Roebuck Dorchester Labourers 6/1 (note), The reporters left it out... Those who spoke in favour of the poor men, were what the reporters call burked. 1840Hood Up Rhine Introd. iv, The Age of Chivalry is Burked by Time. 1848Ld. G. Bentinck in Croker Papers (1884) III. xxv. 165 [Disraeli's] last speech, altogether burked in the Times, but pretty well given in the ‘Post’. 1860Gen. P. Thompson Audi Alt. III. cxxxviii. 111 Permitting a minister to burke the parliamentary conscience. 1880Oracle & Corr. No. 55 A book suppressed before issue is popularly said to have been burked. 1921Daily Colonist (Victoria, B.C.) 3 Apr. 32/1 He had before him a clear issue—and he burked it. 1931Economist 4 July 25/1 The problem, as it concerns the investor, of the holding company and its accounts is one which it is not wise to burke. 1953R. Graves Poems 4 Socrates and Plato burked the issue.
Hence ˈburker, ˈburkism.
1831Southey in Q. Rev. XLIV. 314 We can tell them that there are travelling Burkers in the land. 1859Worcester, s.v. Burkism cites Westm. Rev. |