open season

open season (on someone or something)

1. A period of unrestricted hunting on a particular type of animal. Because of the problems with overpopulation, the governor declared open season on deer across the entire state.
2. By extension, a situation or period of time in which someone or something is open to constant, unyielding criticism, scorn, or mistreatment. It's going to be open season if news of this scandal reaches the public. The president seems to be declaring open season on all politicians who disagree with his policies.
See also: open, season, someone
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

open season (on someone)

Fig. a period of time when everyone is criticizing someone. (Based on open season (on some creature).) It seems as if it's always open season on politicians. At the news conference, it was open season on the mayor.
See also: open, season

open season

(on some creature) a time of unrestricted hunting of a particular game animal. It's always open season on rabbits around here.
See also: open, season
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

open season

COMMON If you say that it is open season on someone or something, you mean that a lot of people are criticizing or attacking them. It's been open season on bankers since the recession started. The press has long declared open season on the royals. Note: In hunting, the open season is the period of the year when it is legal to hunt particular types of animals or birds.
See also: open, season
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.
See also:
  • open season (on someone or something)
  • open season on
  • in at the death
  • in on the kill
  • be in at the death
  • be in at the death/kill
  • hunt after
  • hunt after (someone or something)
  • hunt for
  • hunt for (someone or something)
References in periodicals archive
(NYSE: EPD) ('Enterprise') today announced the start of a binding open season to determine demand for expanded capacity on the partnership's Appalachia-to-Texas ('ATEX') ethane pipeline.
Enterprise Begins Open Season for ATEX Ethane Pipeline
The company said the open season begins at 9:00 CDT on 26 August 2019 and continues until 17:00 CDT on 25 September 2019.
Enterprise commences open season for ATEX ethane pipeline
Additional documents and details related to the open season will be made available upon completion of a confidentiality agreement.
Kinder Morgan - Kinder Morgan and Tallgrass Energy Announce Joint Tariff Open Season to Increase Crude Capacity out of the Bakken -- 28/6/2019
CALGARY, Alberta, April 18, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- News Release - TransCanada Corporation (TSX:TRP) (NYSE:TRP) (TransCanada) today launched an open season to solicit binding commitments from interested parties for transportation services of crude oil from Cushing, Oklahoma to markets on the U.S.
TransCanada launches binding open season for Marketlink
The final scope and capacity will depend on the outcome of the expansion open season. The pipeline expansion is expected to be placed in service in the fourth quarter of 2020.
GRAY OAK EXPANDS OPEN SEASON FOR WEST TEXAS SERVICE
The open season will start Friday and is scheduled to end Jan.
Tallgrass plans to expand Pony Express Pipeline
It is anticipated that this open season will only be for the first 200,000 bpd of space on the pipeline.
Epic pipeline pitches open season in Permian
Nabucco Gas Pipeline International GmbH has announced the launch of the Open Season process for capacity booking in the Nabucco pipeline.
Nabucco Announces Launch of Open Session Process
LOVEABLE characters Boog, Elliot and their forest friends return for a third adventure in Open Season 3, making its DVD debut today.
WinOpenSeason3DVD; Time Off The family entertainment guide
It's open season in Alaska, and while that term might normally conjure up images of trophy fish or big game, the fact is, there are even bigger prizes to be had at the end of this first-time ever event.
Open season for natural gas in Alaska: TransCanada, ExxonMobil, ConocoPhillips, BP market pipeline plans
It is reportedly progressing toward an open season later this year.
Denali Alaska Gas Pipeline: on track for 2010 open season
ENERGY RESOURCE-12 March 2009-Spectra Energy Announces Open Season for Expanding Texas Eastern Line(C)2009 JeraOne - http://www.jeraone.com
Spectra Energy Announces Open Season for Expanding Texas Eastern Line
International Resource News-10 March 2009-Southern Star Announces Open Season for New Pipeline(C)2009 ENPublishing - http://www.enpublishing.co.uk
Southern Star Announces Open Season for New Pipeline
Open Season continues the disappointing trend, contriving an interspecies buddy movie during hunting season.
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