redbait

Definition

Verb (especially in US English): - To persecute or harass someone for their progressive, revolutionary, or communist beliefs: "redbait" means to accuse someone of being a communist or communist sympathizer, often as a means of political intimidation or to discredit them.

Usage Examples

• (They were accused of being communists to ruin their reputations.)
• (He accused his opponent of communist ties to gain an advantage in the election.)

Advanced Usage

• "to be redbaited": to become the target of such accusations.
  • The teacher was redbaited for including books on socialist theory in her curriculum. (She was attacked for having what were seen as communist views.)

Variants and Related Words

• Redbaiting (n): the act or practice of persecuting someone for communist or leftist beliefs.
  • Redbaiting was a common tactic in American politics during the Cold War. (The practice of accusing people of communism to silence them.)

Synonyms

• Smear: to damage someone's reputation by making false or unfair accusations.
• Blacklist: to exclude someone from a group or activity, often for political reasons.
• Harass: to pester or intimidate someone persistently.

Related Idioms

• Red scare: a period of intense fear of communism, often leading to redbaiting.
  • The red scare of the 1950s led to widespread redbaiting of artists and intellectuals. (The fear of communism caused many to be accused and persecuted.)

Phrasal Verbs

• Redbait out: to force someone out of a position or organization through redbaiting.
  • The union leader was redbaited out of his job after speaking out against corporate policies. (He was accused of being a communist and dismissed as a result.)