English Dictionary
Definition witch-hunt in British English
witch-hunt noun
[uncountable] nounThe original witch-hunts took place in America in the 17th century, most famously in Salem, Massachusetts. Young girls who were excited or upset were thought to be witches or under the control of evil spirits. The girls’ trials were held in such a way that it was almost impossible for them to prove they were not guilty. The movement against American Communists in the 1950s, which was led by Senator Joseph McCarthy, was often called a witch-hunt.
