poison-pen letter

British  

noun

1. a letter written in malice, usually anonymously, and intended to abuse, frighten, or insult the recipient

---

poison-pen letter Idioms  

1. A letter, usually anonymous, that makes malicious statements about the recipient or a third party. For example, She told the police about the poison-pen letters, but they said they couldn't pursue the matter. [Early 1900s]

---

Example Sentences

Lennon’s poison-pen letter targeting his former band mate, Paul McCartney.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 5, 2018

“The Front Page” is a drama with two intermissions and a dual nature: It’s both a valentine and a poison-pen letter to the gritty, profane worlds of Chicago journalism and politics.

From Washington Post • Jan. 12, 2017

The Player, in 1992, finally brought Altman back to Hollywood with a clever poison-pen letter to the studios that had dumped him.

From Time • Aug. 6, 2014

And, in typical French fashion, it all started with what is practically an institution here: the poison-pen letter.

From BBC • Mar. 15, 2011

Measure for Measure was Shakespeare's poison-pen letter to the world.

From Time Magazine Archive