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Witch-hunt

//ˈwɪtʃhʌnt// noun, verb, slang

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    A search for people believed to be using sorcery or harmful magic, typically in order to persecute or punish them. historical

    "To-night ye will see. It is the great witch-hunt, and many will be smelt out as wizards and slain."

  2. 2
    searching out and harassing dissenters wordnet
  3. 3
    An attempt to find and punish or harass a group of people perceived as a threat, usually on ideological or political grounds. broadly

    "Rank-and-file Communists everywhere are led away on a senseless witch-hunt after 'Trotskyists'."

  4. 4
    A public or political campaign or investigation which smears a person or group. broadly

    "Even fewer people could believe that the UNCW administration would actually undertake a witch hunt against me, even going so far as to invoke their right to read my personal e-mails because they were on the university's system."

Verb
  1. 1
    To perform a witch-hunt. informal

Etymology

Etymology 1

From witch + hunt.

Etymology 2

From witch + hunt.

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