v.
Pronunciation: ' b ə rk
Function: transitive verb
Inflected Form: burked ; burk · ing
Etymology: from burke to suffocate, from William Burke † 1829 Irish criminal executed for smothering victims to sell their bodies for dissection
Date: 1829
1 : to suppress quietly or indirectly < burke an inquiry>
2 : BYPASS , AVOID < burke an issue>