An offer made to the shareholders of a company to buy their shares at a specified price, in order to gain control of that company; (in extended use) an attempt to seize power or control.
Origin
1940s; earliest use found in The Times.
Definition of takeover bid in US English:
takeover bid
noun
Business
An offer made to the shareholders of a company to buy their shares at a specified price, in order to gain control of that company; (in extended use) an attempt to seize power or control.