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.
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.
to give or promise a bribe to: They bribed the reporter to forget about what he had seen.
to influence or corrupt by a bribe: The judge was too honest to be bribed.
verb (used without object),bribed,brib·ing.
to give a bribe; practice bribery.
Origin of bribe
1350–1400; Middle English <Middle French: remnant of food given as alms, said to be < an expressive base *bri(m)b- denoting something small
There’s been billions in government money unilaterally allocated to “farmers,” but the line on that has been that money is kind of a bribe so that American farmers don’t get mad about the tariffs that have been going on.
Artisanal American Cheese Was Finally on Top of the World, and Then the World Fell Apart|Jaya Saxena|October 5, 2020|Eater
The Office of the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, which performed these audits, did find that billions of dollars across all projects — though not Yahn’s specifically — had been lost to corruption and bribes.
When Your Safety Becomes My Danger (Ep. 432)|Stephen J. Dubner|September 24, 2020|Freakonomics
There were many organizations that didn’t pay bribes and were able to complete their work.
When Your Safety Becomes My Danger (Ep. 432)|Stephen J. Dubner|September 24, 2020|Freakonomics
She recalled her personal experience standing up to threats and declining bribes.
How Criminal Cops Often Avoid Jail|by Andrew Ford, Asbury Park Press|September 23, 2020|ProPublica
It uncovered hefty bribes to get undeserving kids into college with rigged test scores or fake athletic credentials.
Lori Loughlin gets two months in prison after judge accepts plea deal in college bribery scandal|radmarya|August 21, 2020|Fortune
In a sense, she attempts to bribe the pastor, offering to make his church her home.
The Good Wife’s Religion Politics: Voters Have No Faith in Alicia's Atheism|Regina Lizik|November 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But at least in Moscow, a bribe or a good connection stand you a fighting chance to get what you need.
Despite ObamaCare, US Health System Still a Complete Mess|Molly Worthen|October 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Asked if he did anything wrong, Cianci responded simply, “I was not guilty of conspiracy to take a bribe.”
Can America’s Favorite Ex-Con Mayor Win Again?|David Freedlander|June 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
“I did not have enough money to bribe the judge, so I decided to become a mercenary,” Mozhayev told a local reporter.
The Kremlin’s Crazy Shock Troops|Oleg Shynkarenko|May 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Suppose a congressional aide overhears a phone call in which a senator takes a bribe.
Democracy Demands a Journalist-Source Shield Law|Geoffrey R. Stone|April 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Wherever Henry or his allies could bribe or bully the learned doctors, an answer was usually given in the affirmative.
A Student's History of England, v. 2 (of 3)|Samuel R. Gardiner.
No bribe could seduce—no threat divert Mr. Adams from the path of duty.
Sages and Heroes of the American Revolution|L. Carroll Judson
He thought of going back and finding Maria Consuelo's maid—he might bribe her to prevent her mistress's departure.
Don Orsino|F. Marion Crawford
I reckoned on being able to bribe Forde to help me to do this.
Mortomley's Estate, Vol. III (of 3)|Charlotte Elizabeth Lawson Cowan Riddell
Why will they attempt to bribe Science to certify to the writings of God?
Individuality|Robert G. Ingersoll
British Dictionary definitions for bribe
bribe
/ (braɪb) /
verb
to promise, offer, or give something, usually money, to (a person) to procure services or gain influence, esp illegally
noun
a reward, such as money or favour, given or offered for this purpose
any persuasion or lure
a length of flawed or damaged cloth removed from the main piece
Derived forms of bribe
bribableorbribeable, adjectivebriber, noun
Word Origin for bribe
C14: from Old French briber to beg, of obscure origin