Definitions
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- verb Present participle of
white-ant . - noun Australia, colloquial The action or process of bringing down from within,
undermining ,sabotage .
Etymologies
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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Instead, a dishonest and despicable course of "white-anting", destroying the marriage by stealth, was adopted.
The Destruction of Marriage Zoe Brain 2008
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Constitutional Court bench, that he was a "sort of constitutional fifth columnist white-anting the twin and imperative notions of judicial independence and the separation of powers".
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Opposition Leader Tony Abbott denies internal coalition white-anting was behind the demotion of Barnaby Joyce from the key finance portfolio.
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You will recall that at that time there was a popular Labour-led Government in office, facing an election it was likely to win, but where its coalition partner had imploded, and its two best options were the Greens, who were busy white-anting Labour at every turn (remember Corngate?) and New Zealand First, whose anti-immigrant xenophobia was anathema to everything the Labour Government had hitherto stood for.
NZ On Screen 2010
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You will recall that at that time there was a popular Labour-led Government in office, facing an election it was likely to win, but where its coalition partner had imploded, and its two best options were the Greens, who were busy white-anting Labour at every turn (remember Corngate?) and New Zealand First, whose anti-immigrant xenophobia was anathema to everything the Labour Government had hitherto stood for.
NZ On Screen 2010
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Opposition Leader Tony Abbott denies internal coalition white-anting was behind the demotion of Barnaby Joyce from the key finance portfolio.
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Other theories suggest that is programmed with a "white-anting" chip and is programmed to infest himself in an organisation then bring it down from the inside.
Swollen Pickles 2009
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All of these people will be white-anting their Ministers at every chance, and they are most certainly NOT going to give of their ALL for a Labor Government.
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All of these people will be white-anting their Ministers at every chance, and they are most certainly NOT going to give of their ALL for a Labor Government.
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It’s all part of the process of white-anting the society and stripping away its ability to cope, whilst genuinely believing it is ushering in an era of tolerance and love.
frogapplause commented on the word white-anting
(Australia, colloquial) The act of bringing down from within; undermining.
White ants? I don't understand this colloquialism at all.
May 13, 2011
bilby commented on the word white-anting
White ants = termites, especially the kind that snack on house timbers.
May 13, 2011
frogapplause commented on the word white-anting
That makes perfect sense. Thanks.
May 14, 2011
Prolagus commented on the word white-anting
thants.
May 14, 2011
frogapplause commented on the word white-anting
Good one, Pro.
May 14, 2011
dontcry commented on the word white-anting
What a perfect expression. We had termites a few years ago in the downstairs bathroom. It was biblical... *shudders*
May 17, 2011