| 1. | a fee paid to a hired murderer. |
| 2. | compensation paid to the next of kin of a slain person. |
| 3. | money obtained ruthlessly and at a cost of suffering to others. |
| 4. | money paid to an informer in order to cause somebody to be arrested, convicted, or esp. executed. |
| blood money n.
|
blood money
compensation paid by an offender (usually a murderer) or his kin group to the kin group of the victim. In many societies blood money functions to prevent the continuation of hostilities in the form of a feud (q.v.). Some customs allow the injured party the choice of punishing the murder by blood vengeance or by blood money.
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