witch hunt

witch hunt
n
hounding, hue and cry, McCarthyism

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—witch hunter. —witch-hunting, n.
an intensive effort to discover and expose disloyalty, subversion, dishonesty, or the like, usually based on slight, doubtful, or irrelevant evidence.
Also, witch-hunt.
[1925-30]

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witch hunt noun (orig US)
1. The searching out of political opponents for exposure on grounds of alleged disloyalty to the state, etc
2. Any comparable hunting-down or persecution of a group or an individual alleged to be behaving in a dangerously heretical manner
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Main Entry: ↑witch

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witch hunt, or witch-hunt «WIHCH HUHNT», noun.
1. the action of hunting out and persecuting persons suspected of witchcraft. There were witch hunts in New England in the 1600's.
2. Informal, Figurative. the action of persecuting or defaming persons to gain political advantage: »

He denounced the investigation as a “witch hunt” and invoked his constitutional right not to testify against himself (Wall Street Journal).

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noun, pl ⋯ hunts [count]
disapproving : the act of unfairly looking for and punishing people who are accused of having opinions that are believed to be dangerous or evil

He was the victim of a congressional witch hunt against Communists.


Useful english dictionary. 2012.

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  • witch hunt — witch′ hunt or witch′ hunt n. an intensive, often highly publicized effort to discover and expose those who are disloyal, subversive, etc., as in a government or political party, usu. on the basis of slight or doubtful evidence • Etymology:… …   From formal English to slang

  • witch-hunt — witch ,hunt noun uncount an attempt to find all the people in a particular group in order to punish them or treat them unfairly: He called the crackdown a witch hunt …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • witch-hunt|er — «WIHCH HUHN tuhr», noun. Informal. a person who conducts a witch hunt …   Useful english dictionary

  • witch hunt — witch hunter. witch hunting, n. an intensive effort to discover and expose disloyalty, subversion, dishonesty, or the like, usually based on slight, doubtful, or irrelevant evidence. Also, witch hunt. [1925 30] * * * …   Universalium

  • witch-hunt — n an attempt to find and punish people in a society or organization whose opinions are regarded as wrong or dangerous used to show disapproval ▪ anti Communist witch hunts …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • witch hunt — 1640 in the literal sense; the extended sense is attested from 1932 (in witch hunting), popularized in Cold War anti Communist hysteria …   Etymology dictionary

  • witch-hunt — witch hunts N COUNT: oft N against n (disapproval) A witch hunt is an attempt to find and punish a particular group of people who are being blamed for something, often simply because of their opinions and not because they have actually done… …   English dictionary

  • witch hunt — n. [so named in allusion to persecutions of persons alleged to be witches] an investigation carried out ostensibly to uncover disloyalty, subversive political activity, etc., usually conducted with much publicity and often relying upon… …   English World dictionary

  • witch-hunt — ► NOUN ▪ a campaign directed against a person or group holding views considered unorthodox or a threat to society …   English terms dictionary

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