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Lynch

//lɪnt͡ʃ// name, noun, verb, slang

Definitions

Proper Noun
  1. 1
    A surname from Irish. countable, uncountable
  2. 2
    A placename; A place in the United States:; A home rule-class city in Harlan County, Kentucky. countable, uncountable
  3. 3
    A placename; A place in the United States:; An unincorporated community in Kent County, Maryland. countable, uncountable
  4. 4
    A placename; A place in the United States:; A township and village therein, in Boyd County, Nebraska. countable, uncountable
  5. 5
    A placename; A place in the United States:; A tributary of the North Fork Rivanna River, Virginia. countable, uncountable
Show 4 more definitions
  1. 6
    A placename; A place in England:; A hamlet in Berkeley parish, Stroud district, Gloucestershire (OS grid ref ST6799). countable, uncountable
  2. 7
    A placename; A place in England:; A hamlet in Overton parish, Basingstoke and Deane district, Hampshire (OS grid ref SU5049). countable, uncountable
  3. 8
    A placename; A place in England:; A hamlet in Selworthy parish, Somerset, previously in Somerset West and Taunton district (OS grid ref SS9047; West Lynch and East Lynch also appear on OS maps). countable, uncountable
  4. 9
    A placename; A place in England:; A minor river at Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire, which joins the River Lea. countable, uncountable
Noun
  1. 1
    Alternative form of linch. alt-of, alternative
Verb
  1. 1
    To execute (somebody) without a proper legal trial or procedure, especially by hanging and backed by a mob. transitive

    "Public anger erupted. Soldiers were lynched in the streets including young recruits proven to have been deceived by their generals about the true intentions of the attack."

  2. 2
    kill without legal sanction wordnet
  3. 3
    To castigate severely. broadly, colloquial, transitive

    "I telephoned Bill Brandon in Oxford and begged him to get the new refrigeration unit into production before I got lynched."

Etymology

Etymology 1

First attested 1835, from Lynch law, which appeared in 1811. There is a popular claim that it was named after William Lynch, but equally strong arguments would have it named after Charles Lynch. For the surname, see Lynch. Ultimately a possible doublet of linch.

Etymology 2

* As an Irish surname, from Ó Loingsigh (“descendant of Loingseach”), from long (“ship”). * Also as an Irish surname of Anglo-Norman origin, from De Línse, Gaelicized from Norman/French de Lench, from Lench in Worchestershire, from Old English hlinc (“hill”).

See also for "lynch"

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