scorched-earth policy

American  

[skawrcht-urth] / ˈskɔrtʃtˈɜrθ /

noun

1. a military practice of devastating the property and agriculture of an area before abandoning it to an advancing enemy.

---

scorched earth policy British  

noun

1. the policy in warfare of removing or destroying everything that might be useful to an invading enemy, esp by fire

2. commerce a manoeuvre by a company expecting an unwelcome takeover bid in which apparent profitability is greatly reduced by a reversible operation, such as borrowing at an exorbitant interest rate

---

Etymology

Origin of scorched-earth policy

1935–40; apparently translation of Chinese jiāotǔ zhèngcè

Example Sentences

“It’s a first step to them ultimately having more of a scorched-earth policy and getting totally out of Russia,” he predicted.

From Washington Post

We had hoped for enlightened self-interest from the social media platforms — that they would see and fix the scorched-earth policy that is destroying the public sphere.

From Washington Post

But he wouldn’t rule out “a scorched-earth policy where China is declared to be in violation of its Phase 1 trade deal commitments and there’s a return to tariff escalation,” he said.

From New York Times

The country was devastated in World War Two - victim of a Nazi scorched-earth policy - and lost nearly one-third of its population.

From BBC

March organizers made him tone down his speech, removing a provocative vow to “pursue our own scorched-earth policy and burn Jim Crow to the ground — nonviolently.”

From Washington Post