Burton

US: (bûr′tn)

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

Burton, +n. 

1. Biographical Richard (Richard Jenkins), 1925–84, English actor, born in Wales.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

Burton / ˈbɜːt^ən/ noun

1. Sir Richard Francis. 1821–90, English explorer, Orientalist, and writer who discovered Lake Tanganyika with John Speke (1858); produced the first unabridged translation of The Thousand Nights and a Night (1885–88)
2. Richard, real name Richard Jenkins. 1925–84, Welsh stage and film actor: films include Becket (1964), Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966), and Equus (1977)
3. Robert, pen name Democritus Junior. 1577–1640, English clergyman, scholar, and writer, noted for his Anatomy of Melancholy (1621)
4. Tim. born 1958, US film director whose work includes Beetlejuice (1988), Batman (1989), Edward Scissorhands (1990), Ed Wood (1994), Corpse Bride (2005), and Alice in Wonderland (2010)

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

bur•ton¹  (bûr′tn), n. [Naut.]

1. Nautical, Naval Terms any of various small tackles for use on shipboard.
2. Nautical, Naval Terms See Spanish burton. 

• 1695–1705; probably by metathesis from Breton (takles), Brytton (takles) (late 15th cent.); see Breton, Briton

bur•ton²  (bûr′tn), n. go for a burton, [Brit. Slang.]

1. British Terms to be lost, missing, or destroyed.
2. British Terms to die.

• origin, originally disputed 1940–45

Bur•ton  (bûr′tn), n. 

Harold Hitz  (hits), 1888–1964, associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court 1945–58.
1. Biographical Richard (Richard Jenkins), 1925–84, English actor, born in Wales.
2. Biographical Sir Richard Francis, 1821–90, English explorer, Orientalist, and writer.
3. Biographical Robert ("Democritus Junior''), 1577–1640, English clergyman and author.
4. Place Names a town in central Michigan. 29,976.
5. a male given name.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

burton / ˈbɜːt^ən/ noun

1. go for a burton ⇒ to be broken, useless, or lost
2. to die

Etymology: 15th Century: of uncertain origin