Bribe
/braɪb/
Definitions
2 meaningsTo give or offer money or something valuable to someone in order to persuade them to do something dishonest or illegal.
/braɪb/
To influence (someone) dishonestly
He tried to bribe the guard to let him pass.
💡 Simply: To pay someone to do something wrong.
More Examples
She was accused of bribing officials to get the contract.
How It's Used
"The judge was bribed to give a lenient sentence."
"The politician was accused of accepting bribes."
A sum of money or something valuable offered or given to someone in order to persuade them to do something dishonest or illegal.
/braɪb/
Something offered as a bribe
The bribe was discovered during the investigation.
💡 Simply: Something given illegally to persuade someone.
More Examples
He offered a bribe to the customs officer.
How It's Used
"The police officer accepted a bribe."
Idioms & expressions
on the take
Willing to accept bribes.
"The mayor was rumored to be on the take."
From Old French *bribe, meaning 'crumb, piece'. The connection to bribery comes from the idea of offering a small gift to influence someone.
The word's association with corruption solidified over time, evolving from a simple gift to a deliberate act of influence.
Memory tip
Think of 'buying' someone's honesty.
Word Origin
"crumb, piece"