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hostile takeover

hostile takeover

12 5.8
One company buys another company even though its managers say no
  • noun
  • /ˈhɑːstɪl ˈteɪkˌoʊvər/
  • Specialized
translation icon : adquisición hostil
  • At the same time, they've expended time and money fighting off a hostile takeover attempt by one of their Japanese competitors.
  • hostile takeover threat

Due to a general lack of interest in the stock market, American stocks had become quite cheap, which led to the emergence of the hostile takeover.

Examples

  • Lincoln Industries faced a hostile takeover after reports revealed a buyer was trying to purchase a controlling share of the company.

  • Shares on Lincoln Industries were suspended today on news of a hostile takeover by Seattle entrepreneur Christian Grey.

  • Also, allow hostile takeovers by foreign capital.

  • The hostile takeover had been all but completed the previous month.

    Fiction book (2001)
  • Will she use the powers that she has to intervene to block this hostile takeover in the British national interest?

  • He's acquired five percent of the stock, and this is definitely the beginning of a hostile takeover of our corporation.

  • Financially ruined by the hostile takeover of his family-owned business.

  • Rumors have been going around that Weyland International, the organization behind Death Race, has been targeted for hostile takeover.

  • Yes, there are lifelong enemies involved in this hostile takeover of the world's supplier of disk drive cleaners.

    Fiction book (2000)
  • While debate continues over OCP's hostile takeover, there's no denying the mood down here is festive.

Antonyms

friendly takeover
  • Specialized
1 4.4

A purchase of a company that its managers accept

How Aggressive

hostile takeover
  • Specialized
12 5.8
tender offer
  • Specialized
2 7.5
takeover bid
  • Jargon
4 4.2
takeover
49 4.7
friendly takeover
  • Specialized
1 4.4

Surface Forms

Morphology

hostile + takeover

The meaning 'an acquisition carried out despite opposition' is directly and compositionally derived from 'hostile' (adversarial/opposed) modifying 'takeover' (obtaining company control). This adjective+noun combination follows a regular compositional pattern and has close equivalents in many languages, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents will readily infer the MWE meaning.

Etymology

The phrase hostile takeover uses a war image: hostile means unfriendly and takeover means to seize control, like an army taking land without permission. So, it describes buying a company 'against the will of its managers'.