Burton, n. — Green’s Dictionary of Slang

Burton n.

In phrases

go for a Burton (v.) [the precise ety. remains unknown but there are a number of suggestions. First is the elision of SE burnt ’un, i.e. a burning aircraft (and its pilot). Partridge (DSUE, 1970), and Paul Beale (DSUE, 1984) suggest: (i) a euph., going for a glass of Burton ale; (ii) Burton-on-Trent as rhy. sl. for ‘went’, as in ‘went west’ (i.e. go west under west adj.); (iii) Burton ale is heavy, as is a burning aircraft as it crashes to the ground; (iv) the tailors Montague Burton; (v) during WWII the RAF used a number of billiard halls, invariably sited above Burton shops, as medical centres, and those who attended such centres had ‘gone for a Burton’. Other suggestions include the inter-war advertising campaign for Burton ales, bearing the copy line: ‘He’s gone for a Burton.’ Another claim states that Burton’s halls were used for Morse aptitude tests, not medical check-ups, thus the phr. meant failing such a test. Finally seafarers’ jargon burton, the notoriously unsafe stowing of a barrel athwart rather than fore-and-aft; thus going for a Burton meant risking death] (orig. UK milit.)

1. to die; also in fig. use.

1941		‘Canadian Pilot Writes Home’ in Sketch (London) 30 July 25/1: If you go for a ‘Burton’ you crash or prang your aircraft.
1945		A. Gwnn-Browne [title] Gone for a Burton.
1962		H. Livings Nil Carborundum (1963) Act III: I suppose you realise that’s my leave gone for a burton?
1977		D. Powis Signs of Crime 176: Burton, gone for a Gone away; in some circumstances can infer death or fatal injury (Burton-on-Trent, went).
1988		S. Humphries Secret World of Sex 194: The risks were enormous [...] you could have been picked up by the police, or you could have been picked up by a thug and your career gone for a burton.
1991		D. Widgery Some Lives! 112: The East End tradition of knowing how to dress up for an outing has gone for a burton.
2024		J. Meades Empty Wigs (t/s) 285: [of an institution] Malpasfang went for a burton as you young people put it... went for a burton..

2. to fail, to malfunction.

1946		G. Gibson Enemy Coast Ahead (1955) 55: As I was not airborne my wheels hit the hedge and we very nearly went for a burton.
1957		P. Larkin letter 5 Jan. in Thwaite Sel. Letters (1992) 272: Was interested to receive a note from Macmillan saying that the US New Lines had gone for a Burton – who’s rocking the boat?
1960		G.W. Target Teachers (1962) 162: Suddenly, the music stopped as though something had gone for a burton.
1977		J. Rosenthal Spend, Spend, Spend Scene 47: All I could think was ... if he’s dead, that’s my sexual happening gone for a burton!
1982		J. Sullivan ‘A Touch of Glass’ Only Fools and Horses [TV script] I can safely say that my invitation to the hunt ball has gone for a Burton!
1994		C. Dexter Daughters of Cain (1995) 295: ‘That would mean the alibis they’ve fixed up for themselves have gone for a Burton.’ ‘What’s the origin of that phrase?’ Morse shook his head. ‘Something to do with beer, is it?’.
2002		B. Hughes Greyminster Chronicles 553: ‘That’s the “Inter-dimensional Direction Stabiliser” gone for a Burton!’ With her fists screwed up she snarled towards her hostage.