The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

takeover \take"o*ver\ n. (Business, Finance)
   The acquisition of ownership of one company by another
   company, usually by purchasing a controlling percentage of
   its stock or by exchanging stock of the purchasing company
   for that of the purchased company. It is a hostile takeover
   if the management of the company being taken over is opposed
   to the deal. A hostile takeover is sometimes organized by a
   corporate raider.

   Syn: acquisition, buyout
        [WordNet 1.5]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

takeover
    n 1: a sudden and decisive change of government illegally or by
         force [syn: coup d'etat, coup, putsch, takeover]
    2: a change by sale or merger in the controlling interest of a
       corporation