tr.v., burked, burk·ing, burkes.

1. To suppress or extinguish quietly; stifle: burked the investigation by failing to reappoint the commission.
2. To avoid; disregard: “To make The Tempest a tragic and depressing play he was willing to burke all the elements that made it the exact opposite” (Robert M. Adams).
3. To execute (someone) by suffocation so as to leave the body intact and suitable for dissection.

[After William Burke (1792–1829), Irish-born grave robber and murderer.]

verb

1. To hold (something requiring an outlet) in check: choke (back), gag, hold back, hold down, hush (up), muffle, quench, repress, smother, squelch, stifle, strangle, suppress, throttle. Informal sit on (or upon). See restraint/unrestraint.
2. To keep away from: avoid, bypass, circumvent, dodge, duck, elude, escape, eschew, evade, get around, shun. Idioms: fight shy of, give a wide berth to, have no truck with, keepstaysteerclear of. See seek/avoid.

1) to suppress quietly or indirectly {burke an inquiry}
2) bypass, avoid

Note: click on a word meaning below to see its connections and related words.

The verb has 2 meanings:

Meaning #1: murder without leaving a trace on the body

Meaning #2: get rid of, silence, or suppress

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elizabeth burke	dooney and burke
delta burke	dooney burke