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bribe
10 dictionary results for: bribe
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This
bribe       [brahyb] Pronunciation Key noun, verb, bribed, brib·ing.
–noun
1.money or any other valuable consideration given or promised with a view to corrupting the behavior of a person, esp. 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)
3.to give or promise a bribe to: They bribed the reporter to forget about what he had seen.
4.to influence or corrupt by a bribe: The judge was too honest to be bribed.
–verb (used without object)
5.to give a bribe; practice bribery.

[Origin: 1350–1400; ME < MF: remnant of food given as alms, said to be < an expressive base *bri(m)b- denoting something small]

brib·a·ble, bribe·a·ble, adjective
brib·a·bil·i·ty, bribe·a·bil·i·ty, noun
brib·ee, noun
briber, noun
American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
bribe       (brīb)  Pronunciation Key 
n.  
  1. Something, such as money or a favor, offered or given to a person in a position of trust to influence that person's views or conduct.
  2. Something serving to influence or persuade.

v.   bribed, brib·ing, bribes

v.   tr.
To give, offer, or promise a bribe to.

v.   intr.
To give, offer, or promise bribes.


[Middle English, from Old French, piece of bread given as alms.]

brib'a·ble adj., brib'er n.
Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
bribe  (n.)
1386, "thing stolen," from O.Fr. "morsel of bread given to beggars," from briber "to beg," a general Romantic word, of uncertain origin. Shift of meaning to "gift given to influence corruptly" is first attested 1535.

WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This
bribe

noun
1. payment made to a person in a position of trust to corrupt his judgment 

verb
1. make illegal payments to in exchange for favors or influence; "This judge can be bought" 

Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law - Cite This Source - Share This
Main Entry: bribe
Function: noun
: a benefit (as money) given, promised, or offered in order to influence the judgment or conduct of a person in a position of trust (as an official or witness) —compare KICKBACK

Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law - Cite This Source - Share This
Main Entry: bribe
Function: transitive verb
Inflected Forms: bribed; brib·ing
: to influence (a person) by giving a bribe

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Bribe

Bribe\, n. [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 ever?blooming sweets. --Akenside.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Bribe

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.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

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.

Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Bribe

None to be taken; "for the gift maketh open eyes blind, and perverteth the cause of the righteous" (Ex. 23:8, literally rendered).

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