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Date: Mon, 15 Oct 2001 21:01:45 -0700 (PDT)
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Subject: A.Word.A.Day--greenmail
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greenmail (GREEN-mayl) noun

   The practice of buying a large quantity of a company's stock as a hostile
   takeover measure, and then selling it to the company at a higher price.

[From green (money) + mail (as in blackmail).]

   "Second, Northwest sees its economic stake in Continental rise rapidly
   and is then allowed to sell most of its stock back to Continental in a
   transaction that deserves to be called greenmail."
   Floyd Norris, Little to Cheer About For Public Shareholders,
   The New York Times, Nov 7, 2000.

This week's theme: words with color as metaphors.

............................................................................
Whenever you commend, add your reasons for doing so; it is this which
distinguishes the approbation of a man of sense from the flattery of
sycophants and admiration of fools. -Richard Steele, author and editor
(1672-1729)

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Pronunciation:
http://wordsmith.org/words/greenmail.wav
http://wordsmith.org/words/greenmail.ram