bribe

[ brahyb ]

noun

1. money or any other valuable consideration given or promised with a view to corrupting the behavior of a person, especially in that person's performance as an athlete, public official, etc.:

   The motorist offered the arresting officer a bribe to let him go.

2. anything given or serving to persuade or induce:

   The children were given candy as a bribe to be good.

verb (used with object)

, bribed, brib·ing.

1. to give or promise a bribe to:

   They bribed the reporter to forget about what he had seen.

2. to influence or corrupt by a bribe:

   The judge was too honest to be bribed.

verb (used without object)

, bribed, brib·ing.

1. to give a bribe; practice bribery.

bribe

/ braɪb /

verb

1. to promise, offer, or give something, usually money, to (a person) to procure services or gain influence, esp illegally

noun

1. a reward, such as money or favour, given or offered for this purpose
2. any persuasion or lure
3. a length of flawed or damaged cloth removed from the main piece

Derived Forms

• ˈbribable, adjective
• ˈbriber, noun

Other Words From

• briba·ble bribea·ble adjective
• briba·bili·ty bribea·bili·ty noun
• brib·ee noun
• briber noun
• outbribe verb (used with object) outbribed outbribing
• un·briba·ble adjective
• un·briba·bly adverb
• un·bribed adjective
• un·bribing adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of bribe¹

1350–1400; Middle English < Middle French: remnant of food given as alms, said to be < an expressive base *bri ( m ) b- denoting something small

Word History and Origins

Origin of bribe¹

C14: from Old French briber to beg, of obscure origin

Example Sentences

The representatives tried to bribe her $500 to take down the post.

From Los Angeles Times

"In all these 22 years I’ve been a judge and a chief justice, nobody has ever approached me with a bribe. I would have them arrested," Martha Koome told the BBC.

From BBC

That developer, Dae Yong Lee, was sentenced to six years for arranging a $500,000 bribe.

From Los Angeles Times

He took photos of bribe money.

From Los Angeles Times

The group also created a video falsely accusing someone associated with Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign of taking a bribe.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• buy off
• corrupt
• entice
• pay off
• seduce
• tempt