1. plural of greenmail; the practice of buying a large block of a company's stock and threatening a hostile takeover to force the company to buy back the shares at a premium price
Usage: finance; business

1. third-person singular present tense of greenmail; to engage in the practice of greenmail against a company
Usage: finance; business

Examples

• The investor greenmails the corporation by acquiring a significant stake and demanding a premium buyback.
• Several greenmails in the 1980s prompted new regulations to protect companies from hostile takeover threats.
• The company paid millions to stop the activist from greenmailing them with a takeover bid.
• Greenmails became a controversial tactic during the corporate raid era of the 1980s.
• The board decided to fight back rather than submit to greenmails from the aggressive investor.