a poison pen letter

poison-pen letter

A letter that contains malicious statements or accusations about the recipient or another party. Shortly after announcing his candidacy, he received an anonymous poison-pen letter attacking his platform.
See also: letter
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

a ˌpoison ˈpen letter

an unpleasant letter which is not signed and is intended to upset the person who receives it: Most politicians get poison pen letters, sometimes threatening their lives.
See also: letter, pen, poison
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • poison-pen letter
  • paint (one) black
  • paint black
  • sup with the devil
  • dine with the devil
  • poison pen
  • do (someone) a bad turn
  • pile of crap
  • turn the knife
References in periodicals archive
'It's not a big issue, but we have identified the smear campaign in the form of a poison pen letter and also flyers that personally attacked Tok MOY and his family,' he said, using Md Othman's moniker among the locals.
THE key suspect in a poison pen letter scandal at the Scottish SPCA has refused to give a handwriting sample to police.
sent pen ritten ink, it go ht in If they sent a poison pen letter written in green ink, it would go straight in the bin.
UPSET: Robert Williams, pictured with his wife Narimane, after he received a poison pen letter telling him to take down his religious paintings, above Picture by DOUG MOODY
STRIKERS yesterday picketed outside their factory over a pay dispute undeterred by a poison pen letter warning them that the plant would close if they continued their industrial action.
POLICE are investigating claims that comedian Catherine Tate was targeted by a poison pen letter writer.
POLICE were investigating claims last night that comedian Catherine Tate was targeted by a poison pen letter writer.
COMEDIAN Catherine Tate has been targeted by a poison pen letter writer.
Parti Bansa Dayak Sarawak (PBDS Baru) president Cobbold John Lusoi was released on police bail today after police recorded his statement for posting a poison pen letter on social media.
A WOMAN accused of stabbing her husband after a poison pen letter said he was cheating on her walked free yesterday.
A COUNCIL election candidate who had part of her finger bitten off by a dog during her campaign has been the victim of a poison pen letter writer.
The accusations against Professor Hermann Palsson, 80, were contained in a poison pen letter Sanchez sent to people in both Britain and Iceland, including TV host Magnus Magnusson.
The leading opponent of Redcar's Coatham Links scheme today vowed not to let a poison pen letter weaken his resolve.
When her father Johnny Spencer announced that he was to wed "Acid" Raine, Diana is said to have persuaded a friend to write a poison pen letter to her future stepmother.
The dad-of-three spent four days behind bars in Bedfordshire after a poison pen letter was sent to the boss of a Granada motorway service station.