hire to play
v. phr.— «Not to be outdone, the D.C. Republicans say let’s ban gifts worth more than $20 and also outlaw the odious little practice called “hire to play.” That one has been forcing lobbying firms to hire more Republicans before they can set to work lobbying.» —“Creative thinkers will find a way around gift ban” by Mary Ann Lindley Tallahassee Democrat (Florida) Jan. 22, 2006. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Is there such a thing as a “neutral” accent, and if so what does it sound like? And that quirk in the way southern Californians talk about freeways. They’ll say things like take the 405 and get on the 8. Why the definite article...
Two big, wonderful things happened in 2006 that changed my life: I married my wife, Sarah, and I joined A Way with Words. That’s basically two marriages. I say that because a marriage is about a commitment to working...