lynch
lynch · verb
Definitions
verb
- 1.
(of a mob) To kill someone, especially by hanging, for an alleged offense without a legal trial.
Phrases & expressions
- •lynch mob — a group of people who act together to kill someone without legal authority
- •lynching — the act of killing by a mob
Related words
Etymology
From the name of Charles Lynch (1736-1796), a Virginia planter who headed an extralegal court to punish Loyalists during the American Revolution.