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Old 12th Feb 2009, 16:45
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Warmtoast
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
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Gone for a Burton

Am intrigued as others as to the origin of the phrase. A check of the Oxford English Dictionary comes up with the following explanation.


In slang phr. to go for a burton, (of an airman) to be killed; (of a person or thing) to be missing, ruined, destroyed.
None of the several colourful explanations of the origin of the expression is authenticated by contemporary printed evidence.
  1. 1941 New Statesman 30 Aug. 218/3 Go for a Burton, crash.
  2. 1943 C. H. WARD-JACKSON Piece of Cake 32 Gone for a Burton, killed, dead.
  3. 1946 E. ROBERTS in Raymond & Langdon Slipstream 38, I can see those flowers going for a burton.
  4. 1947 ‘N. SHUTE’ Chequer Board iii. 49 He went for a Burton over France last year.
  5. 1957 J. BRAINE Room at Top xx. 176 We noncoms used to say got the chopper. Going for a Burton was journalist's talk.
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