# The meaning of "witch hunt"

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-meaning-of-witch-hunt/295123>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [March 18, 2005, 7:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-meaning-of-witch-hunt/295123 "2005-03-18T07:54:04Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\
**Post date:** [March 19, 2005, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-meaning-of-witch-hunt/295123/21 "2005-03-19T15:24:06Z")

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> [@OtakuLoki](#):
>
> Compare this to the European trials where property owned by convicted witches was confiscated by the Church or the local politicians, depending upon what authority the trial was convened under.

Um, that happened in Salem [too](http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q=Salem+witches+property+confiscated&btnG=Search). The fact that this would happen is mentioned in history books as a motivation for the accusation of some aledged witches.

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**Author:** ![OtakuLoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac8455/32.png) [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)\
**Post date:** [March 20, 2005, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-meaning-of-witch-hunt/295123/22 "2005-03-20T00:28:56Z")

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My apologies, **Elfkin**. I thought that property was still inheirited through normal channels at Salem. :smack:

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**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\
**Post date:** [March 20, 2005, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-meaning-of-witch-hunt/295123/23 "2005-03-20T14:14:01Z")

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> [@elfkin477](#):
>
> Um, that happened in Salem [too](http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q=Salem+witches+property+confiscated&btnG=Search). The fact that this would happen is mentioned in history books as a motivation for the accusation of some aledged witches.

And that’s why Giles Corey refused to plead (not to confess, btw…he refused to either admit or deny his guilt). He was a prosperous farmer, and by dying the way he did, the farm passed to his sons.

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