bloodletting

bloodletting
a) The archaic practice of treating illness by removing some blood, believed to be tainted, from the stricken person.
b) By extension, the diminishment of any resource with the hope that this will lead to a positive effect.

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  • Bloodletting — (or blood letting, in modern medicine referred to as phlebotomy) was a tremendously popular medical practice from antiquity up to the late 19th century, a time span of almost 2,000 years. Bloodletting involves the withdrawal of often considerable …   Wikipedia

  • BLOODLETTING — BLOODLETTING, removal of blood in treating diseases. Bloodletting is frequently mentioned in the Talmud. It was performed not by a physician but by a skilled functionary called umman or gara, whose status was less than that of a physician. The… …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

  • bloodletting — blood‧let‧ting [ˈblʌdˌletɪŋ] noun [uncountable] JOURNALISM HUMAN RESOURCES dismissing employees in large numbers: • After two years of layoffs, bloodletting at the company may be over. * * * bloodletting UK US /ˈblʌdˌletɪŋ/ noun [U] ► …   Financial and business terms

  • Bloodletting — Blood let ting, n. (Med.) The act or process of letting blood or bleeding, as by opening a vein or artery, or by cupping or leeches; esp. applied to venesection. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • bloodletting — ► NOUN 1) historical the surgical removal of some of a patient s blood for therapeutic purposes. 2) violence during a war or conflict …   English terms dictionary

  • bloodletting — [blud′let΄iŋ] n. [ME blodleting: see BLOOD & LET1] 1. the opening of a vein to remove blood; phlebotomy 2. bloodshed …   English World dictionary

  • bloodletting — blood|let|ting [ˈblʌdˌletıŋ] n [U] 1.) killing people = ↑bloodshed ▪ The movie contains scenes of violence and bloodletting. 2.) a medical treatment used in the past which involved removing some of a person s blood 3.) a reduction in the number… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • bloodletting — bloodletter, n. /blud let ing/, n. 1. the act or practice of letting blood by opening a vein; phlebotomy. 2. bloodshed or slaughter. 3. bloodbath. 4. Informal. severe cutbacks or reduction in personnel, appropriations, etc.: The company went… …   Universalium

  • Bloodletting — A period marked by severe investing losses. Bloodletting may occur during a bear market, in which the value of securities in many sectors may decline rapidly and heavily. It is named after an ancient medical practice in which doctors would use… …   Investment dictionary

  • bloodletting — blood|let|ting [ blʌd,letıŋ ] noun 1. ) uncount a situation in which many people are killed and injured in fighting 2. ) singular or uncount a situation in which someone in an organization or company is criticized or forced to leave their job in… …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • bloodletting — noun (U) 1 killing people; bloodshed: The violence was a foretaste of the bloodletting to come. 2 the medical practice in former times of treating people who were ill by removing some of their blood 3 the reduction of the number of people working …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English

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