Definitions
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- v. To execute without due process of law, especially to hang, as by a mob.
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- n. See linch.
- To punish by lynch-law; punish summarily, for a crime or public offense of any kind, without authority of law; specifically, to punish with death in this manner. See lynch-law.
Wiktionary
- v. To execute without a proper legal trial, especially by hanging.
- v. To commit an act of violence by a mob upon the body of another person.
GNU Webster's 1913
- v. To inflict punishment upon, especially death, without the forms of law, as when a mob captures and hangs a suspected person. See lynch law.
WordNet 3.0
- v. kill without legal sanction
Etymologies
- Short for lynch law.
Examples
“Did you just use the term lynch in relation to this election?”
“As has been recently shown the term lynch law originated during the revolution and was taken from the name of the brother of the man who founded Lynchburgh in Virginia.”
“White was convicted of manslaughter for shooting one of the teenagers at the foot of White's driveway, in what he referred to as a lynch mob.”
The Huffington Post: Governor Paterson Commutes Sentence In Racially Charged NY Shooting
“White was convicted of manslaughter for shooting one of the teenagers in what he referred to as a lynch mob.”
“The illustration and the headline "Caught In A Noose" dealt with the story about Golf Channel anchor Kelly Tillman, her use of the word lynch and comments about Tiger Woods.”
“A lot of them feel hurt, embarrassed, a lot of people have lived in fear because of what I call lynch mobs with pitchforks. ”
“Don't let PA - Bucks County as the "lynch" - pin - become the Florida or Ohio of 2008 ... and actually far worse”
Bucks County & PA - Ground ZERO for 2008 Election & YOUR Vote!
“Granted, it is not unusual for America to "lynch" - black men literally and figuratively just because they exist.”
Question for Barack Obama: Do You Feel the Noose Tightening?
“Thu 09/24/09 1: 22 AM this was hilarious, jane lynch is awesome and the kurt character (awww), can’t wait for next week, not sure i like the whole pregnancy thing but i’ll give it a chance, keeps getting better!!!!!!!”
Lists
‘lynch’ hasn't been added to any lists yet.
bilby A bit like a press hatchet job on the truth, eh Mel. Jun 2, 2010
oroboros ‘The activists had many things ready for an attack on the soldiers,’ Lev-Rom said, ‘including, for instance, a box of 20-30 slingshots with metal balls; these can kill. There were also all sorts of knives and many similar things. These are what they call “cold” weapons, as opposed to live fire. It was quite clear that a lynch had been prepared.’
--www.spectator.co.uk/melaniephillips/ , 31May2010 Jun 1, 2010
rolig "Named after Capt. William Lynch, head of a self-constituted judicial tribunal in Virginia, c. 1780." - from my Oxford American Dictionaries widget. Dec 5, 2007