Suppress (5) Crossword Clue
Answer: BURKE (5 letters)
The answer to the crossword clue "Suppress" with 5 letters is "BURKE".Burke is a term that refers to the act of suppressing or smothering something, often associated with the historical practice of burking, which involved suffocating or repressing someone or something. The term is derived from the notorious 19th-century criminal William Burke, who was involved in murder and body-snatching.
Why “Burke” Fits
The clue asks for a single word (5 letters) meaning “suppress.” The answer, BURKE, fits exactly:
- Suppress: Burke means to smother, suppress, or hush up something, often to prevent it from becoming known or acted upon.
- Direct match: With 5 letters, burke matches the clue’s enumeration perfectly.
- Precise meaning: While rooted in a grim historical origin, it figuratively means preventing the progress or public exposure of an idea, action, or situation.
The term burke has a dark historical origin:
- Origin and usage: Named after William Burke, a 19th-century Scottish criminal infamous for murdering victims by suffocation to sell their bodies for dissection.
- Evolution of meaning: Over time, it shifted into figurative use, meaning to suppress or stifle something discreetly.
- Contexts: Often used in journalism or politics to describe deliberate obstruction of information or plans.
- Examples: “The committee attempted to burke the report,” or “His rivals burked the proposal before it reached the board.”
Quick crossword clues like “suppress (5)” may be straightforward but occasionally have nuanced historical references:
- Alternatives such as stamp (5) or quash (5) could fit in other contexts, but burke is more unusual and historically loaded.
- Recognizing the figurative meaning derived from the historical name leads solvers directly to this answer.
- With exact letter count, unique etymology, and precise fit for the definition, burke is the correct crossword solution.
