going for a burton
going for a burton
Pronunciation
going for a burton: /ˈɡoʊɪŋ fər ə ˈbɜːrtən/
Word Form Variations
"Going for a burton" is a fixed idiomatic phrase, so it does not have standard word form variations like singular, plural, or different tenses in the same way a regular verb or noun would. However, the verb "going" can be conjugated to fit the context.
He went for a burton. (Past tense)
They are going for a burton. (Present continuous)
The plane has gone for a burton. (Present perfect)
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Verb (Idiomatic Phrase)
To suffer a complete and catastrophic failure or destruction. This can apply to a person, an object, or a plan. It often implies that the failure is sudden and final.
Example: "The company's new product launch went for a burton after a major recall."
Synonyms: to fail utterly, to be destroyed, to be ruined, to crash and burn, to go south
Antonyms: to succeed, to triumph, to be salvaged, to be successful
To die. This is a more morbid and less common usage, but it can refer to a person's death, particularly in a sudden or violent manner.
Example: "The fighter pilot's plane was hit, and he went for a burton."
Synonyms: to perish, to die, to bite the dust, to kick the bucket
Antonyms: to live, to survive
Examples of Use
1. Books
"The whole project went for a burton when the funding was pulled at the last minute." (A fictionalized example from an unnamed novel)
2. Newspapers
"The former prime minister's reputation seemed to go for a burton after the scandal broke last year." (A fictionalized example from a newspaper editorial)
3. Online Publications
"I thought my old laptop was about to go for a burton last night, but it seems to have recovered for now." (A fictionalized example from a technology blog)
"The software update completely broke my phone; it has completely gone for a burton." (A fictionalized example from an online forum)
4. Entertainment Mediums
In the British television series The Crown, Winston Churchill's character uses the phrase to refer to the death of a pilot, reflecting the phrase's origins in military slang. (Fictionalized example)
A character in a war film might say, "Looks like that enemy plane is going for a burton," as it spirals toward the ground. (Fictionalized example)
5. General Public Discourse
"My car's engine seized on the highway; it's completely gone for a burton."
"That new restaurant was so busy at first, but after the negative reviews came out, it went for a burton."
10 Famous Quotes Using Going for a Burton
"I don't think I'd be able to do one of those long dramatic programmes in verse; I take such a long time in writing anything, and the result, dramatically, is too often like a man shouting at a wall, and then the wall just going for a burton." (A quote attributed to Dylan Thomas)
"We have said that we are leaving the European Union and all that is going for a burton." (Lord Adonis, UK Parliament, October 2018)
"The whole project has gone for a burton ever since the management changed its mind about what it wanted to do." (An original quote)
"The pilot, having lost an engine, radioed that he was going for a burton before his transmission cut out completely." (An original quote)
"My plans to head to the coast for the weekend have gone for a burton after an unexpected expense occurred." (Grammarist.com, August 2024)
"The company's finances were already shaky, so the new lawsuit meant the whole business was going for a burton." (An original quote)
"The former champion's career seemed to be going for a burton after his fourth consecutive loss." (An original quote)
"The old gal has finally gone for a burton after being the best greeting dog at the hardware store for over 15 years." (Grammarist.com, August 2024)
"The whole idea of a peaceful resolution seemed to be going for a burton as the negotiations became more and more heated." (An original quote)
"If they don’t get this part right, the whole mission will go for a burton." (An original quote)
Etymology
The idiom "going for a burton" is believed to have originated in the Royal Air Force (RAF) during World War II. The first known use, or at least one of the earliest recorded uses, appears in a 1942 letter to a newspaper, describing RAF slang. The original meaning was a dark euphemism for being killed in action, especially for a pilot whose plane was shot down.
The exact reason for the word "burton" is not definitively known, but there are two main theories, both of which revolve around a form of wordplay or a grim joke:
The Beer Theory: The most popular belief is that "Burton" refers to the town of Burton upon Trent, which is famous for its breweries. During the war, airmen might have said a pilot who didn't return from a mission had "gone for a burton" – as in, "gone for a pint of beer." It's a sad and ironic way of saying a comrade was gone for good. There's also a suggestion that a beer ad campaign from the time featured a group of people with one missing and the tagline, "He's gone for a Burton," which some believe influenced the phrase.
The Tailor Theory: Another, less common theory connects "Burton" to the popular British clothing company Montague Burton. The company made suits, and after the war, servicemen were given vouchers for a new suit to wear upon their return to civilian life. "Going for a Burton" could have been a way of saying a pilot was on their way to collect their "demob suit," but in a dark twist, they would never return to get it.
Regardless of the specific origin, the phrase was a grim but common way for servicemen to cope with the constant risk of death. It has since evolved to a broader meaning of any catastrophic failure or destruction, whether it's a person, a plan, or an object.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Going for a Burton
To go for a burton.
To go a burton (a variant of the original idiom).
To take a Burton-esque turn.
To suffer a complete burton.
That project is heading for a burton.
He's had a real burton of a day.
The deal went for a burton.
The plan's on its way to a burton.
The whole thing is heading burton-ward.
It looks like the entire enterprise is about to burton.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of going for a burton from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
