verb. (colloquial).—1. To murder by strangling: as Burke for the sake of bodies for dissection: cf. BISHOP; BOYCOTT; MULLER; etc.
2. (colloquial).—To hush up; to smother a matter, or thing.
1874. BEETON, The Siliad, 2.
| Which did essay to tax poor misery’s work, | |
| And helpless poverty to strike and BURKE. |
3. (military).—To dye the moustache and whiskers: a practice once prevailed in smart regiments of dyeing or smothering the natural colour of the hair for the sake of uniformity, the regulations at one time as regards the style of wearing the hair being very stringent and precise.
