noun
whitemail
Whitemail (noun) means a defence against a takeover in which a company sells cheap shares to an ally to keep control.
noun
1
A defence against a takeover in which a company sells cheap shares to an ally to keep control.
"Whitemail, which also appears unfair to some, may enhance shareholder value if the outside investor is able to influence management in a more positive way than other shareholders could."
— Michael T. Jacobs, Short-term America: The Causes and Cures of Our Business Myopia (1991)
2
Persuading someone by offering something good, rather than by threats.
"Certainly FDR was a master of his own kind of whitemail and practiced it on the likes of Harry Hopkins."
— Gore Vidal, The Golden Age (2000)
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Etymology
Formed from white and mail, by analogy with blackmail.
Rhymes for whitemail
See all rhymes for whitemail →Frequently asked questions
What is the meaning of whitemail?
"whitemail" (noun) means a defence against a takeover in which a company sells cheap shares to an ally to keep control.
What are the different meanings of whitemail?
"whitemail" has 2 main meanings: 1. A defence against a takeover in which a company sells cheap shares to an ally to keep control; 2. Persuading someone by offering something good, rather than by threats.
