poison pill
[ poi-zuhn pil ]
/ ˈpɔɪ zən ˌpɪl /
noun
Also called su·i·cide pill . a pellet or capsule of a quick-acting poison, as cyanide, for a spy to ingest when faced with capture or torture.
Financial Slang. any of various business devices created to prevent a company from being taken over by another, as issuing a new class of stock or stock warrants that would become costly to the buyer in the event of a takeover.
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Origin of poison pill
First recorded in 1945–50
Words nearby poison pill
poison ivy, poison oak, poisonous, poison-pen, poison-pen letter, poison pill, poison sumac, poison sumach, poisonwood, Poisson, Poisson distribution
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020
British Dictionary definitions for poison pill
poison pill
noun
finance a tactic used by a company fearing an unwelcome takeover bid, in which the value of the company is automatically reduced, as by the sale of an issue of shares having an option unfavourable to the bidders, if the bid is successful
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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