1 an intruder 19-.
2 a body snatcher; a murderer: The Burkers would mooligrab Travellers cos they werenae registered and the authorities widnae jee their gingers aboot Travellers onywye. [The Burkers would murder Travellers because they were not registered and the authorities would not bother about Travellers in any case.] 19-.
3 term of abuse for a person: ...no wye, that we're gonnae cut oor lassies’ hair all aff jist tae please some bitch nurse ae a burker’s daughter’ […there is no way we’re going to cut our daughters’ hair just to please some bitch nurse of a burker’s daughter…] 20. etymology: derived from William Burke of Burke and Hare the nineteeth-century body snatchers, also known as The West Port Murderers, who often targeted the Traveller community as their victims; sense 1 attested by JS and BW; sense 2 attested by SR, SS, ET and DW; sense 3 attested by ET