| 释义 |
hush-money
[See hush v.1 3.]
Money paid to prevent disclosure or exposure, or to hush up a crime or discreditable transaction.
1709Steele Tatler No. 26 ⁋9, I expect Hush-Money to be regularly sent for every Folly or Vice any one commits in this whole Town. 1731Swift Poems, To Gay 107 A dext'rous Steward, when his Tricks are found, Hush-money sends to all the Neighbours round. 1845Bright Sp. Ireland 16 Apr. (1868) 150 This bill..is hush-money given that they may not proclaim to the whole country..the sufferings of the population. 1849Macaulay Hist. Eng. vii. II. 214 He had been forced to pay hushmoney to informers. 1953H. Miller Plexus (1963) x. 352 The cops will be sitting on our necks... The natural thing, under the circumstances, would be to put something aside for hush money. 1957Economist 9 Nov. Suppl. 11/2 She would write her memoirs and include in them faithful records of her association with every noble lord who failed to pay hush money to the tune of two hundred pounds. |