Meaning & Definition of Lynch in English

Detailed Definitions

• Definition: To execute, especially by hanging, without a lawful trial.

  Example Sentence: The mob decided to lynch the accused man in the town square.

• Definition: To put to death by mob action or extrajudicial punishment.

  Example Sentence: In the past, many innocent people were lynched due to racial prejudices.

Etymology

Origin: Possibly named after Charles Lynch, a Virginia farmer and magistrate who conducted extrajudicial punishments during the American Revolution.

Synonyms

Common Phrases and Expressions

• lynch mob: A group of people who take the law into their own hands to punish someone accused of a crime.

Translations

• Spanish: linchar

• French: lyncher

• German: lynchen

• Russian: линчевать

Related Words

• vigilante: A person who takes action to enforce laws without legal authority.

• extrajudicial: Performed without legal approval or authority.

Slang Meanings of lynch

• Meaning: To unjustly accuse or punish someone in a harsh manner.

  Example Sentence: They lynched him on social media without knowing the real story.