burton
part of speech
noun (Burton — a name); phrase «go for a burton» (UK slang)
meaning for a pupil
1) (UK slang, «go for a burton») To be lost, broken, ruined or killed: «My holiday plans have gone for a burton.» tree →
2) (a name) Burton is an English surname and a place name, such as the town of Burton upon Trent, famous for brewing beer. tree →
sense in the lessons
The phrase «gone for a burton» was RAF slang in the Second World War for a pilot who was killed, and now means jokingly that something is ruined or gone. Mostly heard in the UK, often from older people. As a name it gets a capital letter.
examples
- Our picnic went for a burton when the rain came. tree →
- «My new phone has gone for a burton,» said Mum after dropping it in the bath. tree →
- Grandad says his knees have gone for a burton. tree →
- The pilots said a lost friend had «gone for a burton». tree →
- Burton upon Trent is a town in the Midlands. tree →
- Mr Burton is our new teacher. tree →
note
Only the phrase «go/gone for a burton» is common English slang; «a burton» on its own is not used. Written with a capital B as a name (Burton). Nobody knows for sure where the phrase came from; the old story that it means a pint of Burton beer is not proven.
Trees and pragmatics
Every meaning and example of «burton» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.