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

See Examples For:

head-hunting

“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

Awkward jokes about head-hunting out of the way, we travel south into rebel territory.

From BBC ● Nov. 16, 2016

When, in the Philippines, I wished to see the head-hunting Igorots; when I asked the Japanese for permission to visit the head-hunters of Formosa, I met only with excuses and evasions.

From Where the Strange Trails Go Down Sulu, Borneo, Celebes, Bali, Java, Sumatra, Straits Settlements, Malay States, Siam, Cambodia, Annam, Cochin-China by Powell, E. Alexander (Edward Alexander)