boycott

Everyday

1. (verb) To refuse to buy, use, take part in or deal with something or someone, as a protest. tree →
2. (noun) An organised refusal of this kind. tree →

In the lessons

In history and citizenship lessons boycotts are a peaceful way to protest: the Montgomery bus boycott, led by Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King, helped end unfair bus rules in the USA. Countries sometimes boycott the Olympics. People boycott companies that harm workers or the planet. Phrases: boycott a shop, call for a boycott, a consumer boycott.

Examples

• People boycotted the buses until the rules were changed. tree →
• The Montgomery bus boycott lasted over a year. tree →
• Some countries boycotted the Olympic Games. tree →
• We boycotted the café after it was rude to our friend. tree →
• A boycott is a peaceful way to protest. tree →
• The students called for a boycott of plastic straws. tree →

Note

Past: boycotted (double t). It comes from the name of Captain Charles Boycott, a land agent in Ireland whom local people refused to work for. Countable noun: a boycott. Not connected with "boy" or "cot".