# burke

/ˈbɝk/ (US) · /bˈɜːk/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/burke
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. to suppress or hush up

verb · CEFR C2 · Formal · Literary

to stop something from being known or discussed; to hide information.

For teachers: to suppress, hush up, or avoid discussion of a matter quietly or indirectly.

- The committee tried to burke the report because it was critical of the government.
- The administration attempted to burke the inquiry by withholding key documents and redirecting the press to unrelated matters.

Usage: Usually transitive, taking the suppressed information as the direct object.

### 2. to murder by suffocation

verb · CEFR C2 · Archaic · British English

to kill someone by covering their mouth and nose so they cannot breathe.

For teachers: to murder by suffocation, historically for the purpose of selling the body for dissection.

- The old stories told of criminals who would burke their victims in the dark alleys.
- The term originated from the crimes of William Burke, who would burke his victims to provide fresh cadavers for medical schools.

Teaching tip: This sense is almost exclusively used in historical or literary contexts referring to the 19th-century crimes in Edinburgh.

### 3. a silly person

noun · CEFR C1 · British English · Informal · Slang

a person who is stupid or does something silly.

For teachers: a foolish or stupid person; a variant spelling of 'berk'.

- Don't be such a burke; you know that's not how the machine works.
- He felt like a complete burke after realizing he had been arguing against his own interests for the entire meeting.

Usage: Commonly used as a mild insult in British English.

Teaching tip: While 'berk' is the standard spelling, 'burke' is a recognized variant; both are derived from Cockney rhyming slang.

## Examples

- Don't be such a burke; the keys are in your hand.
- He felt like a total burke after realizing he had been wearing his shirt inside out all morning.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.