BRIBE

bribe, payoff

(noun) payment made to a person in a position of trust to corrupt his judgment

bribe, corrupt, buy, grease one's palms

(verb) make illegal payments to in exchange for favors or influence; “This judge can be bought”

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology

Noun

bribe (plural bribes)

Something (usually money) given in exchange for influence or as an inducement to dishonesty.

That which seduces; seduction; allurement.

Synonyms

• See bribe

Verb

bribe (third-person singular simple present bribes, present participle bribing, simple past and past participle bribed)

(transitive) To give a bribe to; specifically, to ask a person to do something, usually against his/her will, in exchange for some type of reward or relief from potential trouble.

(transitive) To gain by a bribe; to induce as by a bribe.

Anagrams

• ribbe

Source: Wiktionary

Bribe, n. Etym: [F. bribe a lump of bread, scraps, leavings of meals (that are generally given to a beggar), LL. briba scrap of bread; cf. OF. briber, brifer, to eat gluttonously, to beg, and OHG. bilibi food.]

1. A gift begged; a present. [Obs.] Chaucer.

2. A price, reward, gift, or favor bestowed or promised with a view to prevent the judgment or corrupt the conduct of a judge, witness, voter, or other person in a position of trust. Undue reward for anything against justice is a bribe. Hobart.

3. That which seduces; seduction; allurement. Not the bribes of sordid wealth can seduce to leave these everAkenside.

Bribe, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Bribed; p. pr. & vb. n. Bribing.]

1. To rob or steal. [Obs.] Chaucer.

2. To give or promise a reward or consideration to (a judge, juror, legislator, voter, or other person in a position of trust) with a view to prevent the judgment or corrupt the conduct; to induce or influence by a bribe; to give a bribe to. Neither is he worthy who bribes a man to vote against his conscience. F. W. Robertson.

3. To gain by a bribe; of induce as by a bribe.

Bribe, v. i.

1. To commit robbery or theft. [Obs.]

2. To give a bribe to a person; to pervert the judgment or corrupt the action of a person in a position of trust, by some gift or promise. An attempt to bribe, though unsuccessful, has been holden to be criminal, and the offender may be indicted. Bouvier. The bard may supplicate, but cannot bribe. Goldsmith.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition