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nuclear option

nuclear option
 n.— «One Conservative MP, fresh from helping to “talk out” a bill to outlaw fox-hunting last Friday, said the convention was only one of a number of ways to “filibuster” legislation. “‘I spy’ is the nuclear option,” he said. “But members intent on frustrating a bill can still deliberately table numerous amendments, or shuffle extremely slowly through the voting lobbies.”» —“MPs propose abolition of ancient Commons rituals” by Liam Halligan Financial Times (U.K.) Mar. 10, 1998. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)

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