Burroughs n 1: United States writer noted for his works portraying the life of drug addicts (1914-1997) [syn: {William Burroughs}, {William S. Burroughs}, {William Seward Burroughs}] 2: United States inventor who patented the first practical adding machine (1855-1898) [syn: {William Seward Burroughs}] 3: United States novelist and author of the Tarzan stories (1875-1950) [syn: {Edgar Rice Burroughs}]