head-hunting

British  

noun

1. the practice among certain peoples of removing the heads of slain enemies and preserving them as trophies

2. the recruitment, esp through an agency, of executives from one company to another, often rival, company

3. slang the destruction or neutralization of political opponents

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Other Word Forms

• head-hunter noun

Example Sentences

“I do think that they were head-hunting, but I don’t think he meant to try to impose a life-changing injury,” Pittman said.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 22, 2023

"We face stiff competition for high-performance workers. We have substantially raised pay and improved working conditions to prevent head-hunting," Masuda said.

From Reuters • Feb. 28, 2022

The Bengals immediately became better when they cut head-hunting linebacker Vontaze Burfict, and they have legitimate talent elsewhere on defense with Geno Atkins and Carlos Dunlap.

From Slate • Dec. 4, 2019

Until Malingi revealed the missionaries had also persuaded his ancestors to stop head-hunting.

From BBC • Aug. 25, 2018

The province of Sarawak, a dependency of the Sultan of Borneo, was governed by an old native rajah, whose authority was menaced by the fierce, head-hunting Dyaks of the interior.

From Tales of the Malayan Coast From Penang to the Philippines by Wildman, Rounsevelle