Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun An investigation carried out ostensibly to uncover subversive activities but actually used to harass and undermine those with differing views.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun historical A search for witches, persons believed to be using sorcery or harmful magic, in order to persecute and typically kill them.
  • noun An attempt to find and publicly punish a group of people perceived as a threat, usually on ideological or political grounds.
  • noun A public smear-campaign against an individual.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun searching out and harassing dissenters

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