Dictionary

Samson Option en · PROPN

Etymology

In reference to Samson in the Bible, who destroyed the Philistine temple in which he was captured in a suicide attack.

Meanings

1. (uncountable, usually) A last-resort strategy employed by the State of Israel involving massive nuclear retaliation within and outside of the State of Israel.
   • The Samson Option states that Moshe Dayan gave the go-ahead for starting weapon production in early 1968, putting the plutonium separation plant into full operation. 2009 June 7, Filipe, CNN, archived from the original on 01 Feb 2023:
2. (broadly, figuratively, uncountable, usually) Any massively destructive strategy used as a last resort, especially one that is also self-destructive.
   • This is the essence of the beast and the lever of control. You don’t need hidden nukes or Samson options. This is what is happening and this is why the bank bailouts are taking place to ensure a greater consolidation and control of the destiny of planet Earth. 2009 March 27, Mr.Smartypants, “Usuary (sic) of the Zionists”, in can.politics (Usenet):
   • Whatever the eventual shape of the new world order, it should leave no room for "Samson options." 1992, Paul C. Warnke, “Reviews: Nuclear Israel”, in Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, volume 48, number 2, page 42:
   • Trump’s fiercest advocates have launched their Samson option: If he can’t keep power, they’ll bring down the party with him by calling for a boycott of the election. 2020 December 29, Frida Ghitis, “Trump has set Republicans up to fail in Georgia”, in CNN, archived from the original on 03 Oct 2022:

Forms

Translations (5)

cmn 參孫選項 /参孙选项 (last-resort strategy) · ru опция Самсона (last-resort strategy) · ru доктрина Самсона (last-resort strategy) · he ברירת שמשון (last-resort strategy) · ru вариант Самсона (last-resort strategy)