persecute

persecute (one) for (something)

To harass, oppress, or torment one based on some reasoning, evidence, or justification. Often used in passive constructions. Our group has been persecuted for our religion in this country for years. The current administration is persecuting us for joining the opposition party.
See also: persecute
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

persecute someone for something

to harass or repress someone for something. They were persecuting the native people for being underdeveloped. They were persecuted for being simple and unsuspecting.
See also: persecute
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
See also:
  • persecute (one) for (something)
  • persecute for
  • promote
  • promote (one) from (something) to (something else)
  • tap
  • tap (one) for (something)
  • tap for
  • tap someone
  • tap someone for something
  • tapping
References in periodicals archive
We persecute people by ignoring them -- by trivializing their concerns, by deriding their organizations as foolish, by making their beliefs (or the fact they have beliefs at all) slightly foolish.
Traditional Christian anti-Semitism, in contrast, sought to persecute Jews, but it always held out the possibility of baptism as a means of "escaping" Judaism.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry said that a 'fake news' law with a vague language can be used to persecute the opposition.
There are far more attacks on humans by humans than by any other animal on the planet, yet there are - quite rightly - no calls to demonise and persecute the entire human race due to the actions of the few.
This decision is just the tip of the iceberg to persecute or prosecute Christians for their beliefs, and should be a stark warning to people of conscience in this nation that as a result of 12 years of Labour rule, the British establishment no longer values the democratic rights of its citizens to hold conscience as a matter of principle.
And the Lord asked of them: ``Who are the leaders of those who do persecute and oppress you so?''
Jesus said to his disciples, "Before [the end] happens, however, they will seize and persecute you, they will hand you over to the synagogues and to prisons, and they will have you led before kings and governors because of my name.
Jesus said to His disciples, "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.
The author contends that "there is no other group of victims throughout history who so consistently faced terrifying ends with calm hope and sincerely forgave their persecutors." Jesus said: "They have persecuted me and they will persecute you." And "the twentieth century, alongside its great advances, was perhaps the bloodiest on record." "Happy is the age that does not produce a large crop of martyrs.
The Risen One manifested himself to him in all his radiant power: "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?...
Its anti-Semitism had its roots outside of Christianity, and in pursuing its aims, it did not hesitate to oppose the Church and persecute her members also.
Critique: There is no question that radical Islam persecutes Christians whenever and however it can.
In the late first century, Roman Emperor Domitian fiercely persecutes Christians.
China persecutes Christians, North Korea kills Christians or bans them to labour camps and yet the church never gets the time to tell the people in this country how serious the situation is.
Sometimes a secular government persecutes religious people, as in China and North Korea.