I. bribe 1 /braɪb/ BrE AmE verb [transitive]
1 . to illegally give someone, especially a public official, money or a gift in order to persuade them to do something for you:
The only way we could get into the country was by bribing the border officials.
bribe somebody to do something
He bribed one of the guards to smuggle out a note.
2 . to offer someone, especially a child, something special in order to persuade them to do something
bribe somebody with something
Sam wouldn’t do her homework until I bribed her with ice cream.
II. bribe 2 BrE AmE noun [countable]
[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Language: Old French ; Origin: 'bread given to a beggar' ]
1 . money or a gift that you illegally give someone to persuade them to do something for you:
The officials said that they had been offered bribes before an important game.
accept/take a bribe
A Supreme Court judge was charged with taking bribes.
2 . something special offered to someone, especially a child, in order to persuade them to do something
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COLLOCATIONS
■ verbs
▪ offer somebody a bribe
Some sportsmen have been offered bribes to perform badly.
▪ accept/take a bribe
Any officials who accept bribes will face criminal charges.
▪ give somebody a bribe
They issued passports to people who gave them bribes.
▪ pay a bribe
It was claimed that the company paid bribes to win the contract.
■ bribe + NOUN
▪ bribe money
The mayor is accused of accepting bribe money.