What is a boycott?

To boycott someone or something is to refuse to trade or associate with a country, company or an individual. It is derived from the name of Captain Charles Cunningham Boycott, a 19th century land agent. He was boycotted by Irish tenant famers when he refused to let them decide how much rent they should pay for their land. His fences were torn down, his servants driven away, and his mail and food supplies cut off. It is a form of organized protest.