lynch

• IPA^(key): /lɪnt͡ʃ/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɪntʃ
• Homophone: Lynch

First attested 1835, from Lynch law, which appeared in 1811. There is a popular claim that it was named after William Lynch, but equally strong arguments would have it named after Charles Lynch. For the surname, see Lynch. Ultimately a possible doublet of linch.

lynch (third-person singular simple present lynches, present participle lynching, simple past and past participle lynched)

1. (transitive) To execute (somebody) without a proper legal trial or procedure, especially by hanging and backed by a mob.
   • 2018, “Europe's Flashpoints” (2:12 from the start), in Close Up — The Current Affairs Documentary‎^[1], episode 2, (narration regarding the 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt) (actor), via Deutsche Welle TV, av-44888523, archived from the original on 31 July 2018:

     Public anger erupted. Soldiers were lynched in the streets including young recruits proven to have been deceived by their generals about the true intentions of the attack.

• (execute without a proper legal trial): string up

• → Czech: lynč
• → Danish: lynche
• → Esperanto: linĉi
• → French: lyncher
• → German: lynchen
• → Italian: linciare
• → Japanese: リンチ
• → Lithuanian: linčiúoti
• → Norwegian Bokmål: lynsje
• → Norwegian Nynorsk: lynsje
• → Russian: линчева́ть (linčevátʹ)
• → Spanish: linchar
• → Swedish: lyncha
• → Turkish: linç

• kangaroo court
• show trial

lynch (plural lynches)

1. Alternative form of linch.

lynch

1. singular imperative of lynchen
2. (colloquial) first-person singular present of lynchen