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lynch

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lynch¹

  • /lɪnt͡ʃ/

Sounds like Lynch · Rhymes with -ɪntʃ

Where it comes from

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.

verb lynches · lynching · lynched

  1. transitive To execute (somebody) without a proper legal trial or procedure, especially by hanging and backed by a mob. 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.

    Similar: string up

  2. broadly, colloquial, transitive To castigate severely. I telephoned Bill Brandon in Oxford and begged him to get the new refrigeration unit into production before I got lynched.

lynch²

  • /lɪnt͡ʃ/

Sounds like Lynch · Rhymes with -ɪntʃ

noun lynches

  1. alternative Alternative form of linch

Lynch³

  • /lɪnt͡ʃ/

Sounds like lynch · Rhymes with -ɪntʃ

Where it comes from

* As an Irish surname, from Ó Loingsigh (“descendant of Loingseach”), from long (“ship”).

* Also as an Irish surname of Anglo-Norman origin, from De Línse, Gaelicized from Norman/French de Lench, from Lench in Worchestershire, from Old English hlinc (“hill”).

proper noun Lynchs · Lynches

  1. countable, uncountable A surname from Irish.
  2. countable, uncountable A home rule-class city in Harlan County, Kentucky.
  3. countable, uncountable An unincorporated community in Kent County, Maryland.
  4. countable, uncountable A township and village therein, in Boyd County, Nebraska.
  5. countable, uncountable A tributary of the North Fork Rivanna River, Virginia.
  6. countable, uncountable A hamlet in Berkeley parish, Stroud district, Gloucestershire (OS grid ref ST6799).
  7. countable, uncountable A hamlet in Overton parish, Basingstoke and Deane district, Hampshire (OS grid ref SU5049).
  8. countable, uncountable A hamlet in Selworthy parish, Somerset, previously in Somerset West and Taunton district (OS grid ref SS9047; West Lynch and East Lynch also appear on OS maps).
  9. countable, uncountable A minor river at Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire, which joins the River Lea.

Thesaurus

Closest in meaning: lam, hang, lin, husband, meryl, lim, yim, merrill, merrell, bastien, string up, kill, murder, execute, off, take out

Translations

Every language

verb execute without a proper legal trial — see also take the law into one's own hands, vigilantism

Españollinchar
日本語リンチを加える rinchi-o kuwaeru, 私刑を加える shikei-o kuwaeru
中文執行私刑 /执行私刑 zhíxíng sīxíng
Portuguêslinchar
Françaislyncher
Deutschlynchen
Italianolinciare
Ελληνικάαυτοδικώ aftodikó, λιντσάρω lintsáro, λυντσάρω lyntsáro
Русскийлинчева́ть linčevátʹ, расправля́ться самосу́дом raspravljátʹsja samosúdom
Tiếng Việtlin-sơ, linsơ, hành quyết, hành xác

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MLA

"lynch." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/lynch. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

lynch. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/lynch

Chicago

"lynch." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/lynch.

BibTeX
@misc{lynch_2026,
  title = {lynch},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/lynch},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}