Wiktionary
n. 1 The cutting-off and preservation of the heads of one's enemies 2 The active recruitment of executive or talented personnel vb. (present participle of headhunt English)
Wikipedia
Headhunting is the practice of taking and preserving a person's head after killing the person. Headhunting was practised in historic times in parts of Oceania, South and Southeast Asia, West and Central Africa, and Mesoamerica, as well as among certain tribes of the Celts, the West Germanic tribes, and Scythians of ancient Europe. It occurred in Europe until the 19th century in Montenegro, Croatia, and western parts of Herzegovina, and to the end of the Middle Ages in Ireland and the Anglo-Scottish border regions.
As a practice, headhunting has been the subject of intense discussion within the anthropological community as to its possible social roles, functions, and motivations. Themes that arise in anthropological writings about headhunting include mortification of the rival, ritual violence, cosmological balance, the display of manhood, cannibalism, prestige, and as a means of securing the services of the victim as a slave in the afterlife.
Today's scholars generally agree that its primary function was ceremonial and that it was part of the process of structuring, reinforcing, and defending hierarchical relationships between communities and individuals. Some experts theorize that the practice stemmed from the belief that the head contained " soul matter" or life force, which could be harnessed through its capture.
Usage examples of "headhunting".
He'd never read the headhunting book, had never read any book, but he did have a Classic Comics version of The Count of Monte Cristo, which a sailor had given him in the days before the Shark People were forbidden to meet visiting ships.
They were the dark, beautiful descendants of headhunting pirates, dressed in hand-dyed sarongs and ancient plastic baseball caps.
Vederotta continues his cautious approach, but he’s throwing heavier shots now, headhunting, and Mears can do nothing other than walk forward and absorb them.
Truth be told, the ban on trading of shrunken heads had only reduced the scale of the headhunting enterprise.