hostile /; AmE ; / (also unfriendly, less frequent) adjective

(Finance )

(about an attempt to buy or gain control of a company) not wanted by the directors of the company that is to be bought:

a hostile attempt to acquire the company

They are trying to fight off a $1.2 billion hostile bid from a rival travel operator.

The falling share price makes the company vulnerable to a hostile takeover.

⇨ FRIENDLY

a hostile bid/offer/takeover a hostile acquisition/approach/deal a hostile acquirer/bidder

IDIOMS

to go/turn hostile (Finance )

to try to force the sale of a company against the wishes of its directors, by offering to buy large enough quantities of shares from its shareholders:

The firm has threatened to go hostile if the board refuses the takeover offer.

• firefighting
• fire insurance
• firepower
• fire safety officer
• fire sale
• firewall
• firing line
• firm
• firmware
• first class
• first-generation
• first half
• first in, first out
• first-line manager
• first mover
• first order of business
• first refusal
• first-round financing
• first section
• first tier
• first-tier supplier
• first-time
• fiscal
• fiscal drag
• fiscal policy