go for a burton
(British, of a person) To be killed.
Definitions
UK
#1·Apr 27, 2026UK
(British, of a person) To be killed.
[G]one for a Burton has, in the R.A.F., ousted gone West[.] "He is dead" may appear somewhat remote from "He has gone for a glass of Burton": but, then, all euphemisms do, at first, appear remote.
Origin: Originated in the RAF in World War II. beyond that, but may have some association with beer. One version is that it was from a series of ads for Burton's beer which showed a group of people with one missing and the tag line "He's gone for a Burton". Origin information sourced from Wiktionary contributors (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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UK
#2·Apr 27, 2026UK
(British, of a person or object) To be lost, spoiled or destroyed.
[G]one for a Burton has, in the R.A.F., ousted gone West[.] "He is dead" may appear somewhat remote from "He has gone for a glass of Burton": but, then, all euphemisms do, at first, appear remote.
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Other words near "go for a burton" (G)
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