— corruptedly , adv. — corruptedness , n. — corrupter, corruptor , n. — corruptive , adj. — corruptively , adv. — corruptly , adv. — corruptness , n.
/keuh rupt"/ , adj.
1. guilty of dishonest practices, as bribery; lacking integrity; crooked: a corrupt judge.
2. debased in character; depraved; perverted; wicked; evil: a corrupt society.
3. made inferior by errors or alterations, as a text.
4. infected; tainted.
5. decayed; putrid.
v.t.
6. to destroy the integrity of; cause to be dishonest, disloyal, etc., esp. by bribery.
7. to lower morally; pervert: to corrupt youth.
8. to alter (a language, text, etc.) for the worse; debase.
9. to mar; spoil.
10. to infect; taint.
11. to make putrid or putrescent.
12. Eng. Law. to subject (an attainted person) to corruption of blood.
v.i.
13. to become corrupt.
[ 1250-1300; ME ( corruptus broken in pieces, corrupted (ptp. of corrumpere ), equiv. to cor- COR- + rup- (var. s. of rumpere to break) + -tus ptp. suffix ]
Syn. 1. false, untrustworthy. CORRUPT, DISHONEST, VENAL apply to one, esp. in public office, who acts on mercenary motives, without regard to honor, right, or justice. A CORRUPT politician is one originally honest who has succumbed to temptation and begun questionable practices. A DISHONEST politician is one lacking native integrity. A VENAL politician is one so totally debased as to sell patronage. 3, 4 . contaminated. 4, 5 . putrescent, rotten, spoiled. 6. demoralize, bribe. 7. debase, vitiate. 10. contaminate, pollute, spoil, defile. 11. putrefy.