/ braɪb; NAmE / noun , verb
■ noun
a sum of money or sth valuable that you give or offer to sb to persuade them to help you, especially by doing sth dishonest :
It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office.
She had been offered a $50 000 bribe to drop the charges.
■ verb
bribe sb (with sth) | bribe sb (into doing sth) to give sb money or sth valuable in order to persuade them to help you, especially by doing sth dishonest :
[ vn ]
They bribed the guards with cigarettes.
She was bribed into handing over secret information.
He managed to bribe his way onto the ship.
[also vn to inf ]
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WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English : from Old French briber , brimber beg, of unknown origin. The original sense was rob, extort , hence (as a noun) theft, stolen goods , also money extorted or demanded for favours , later offer money as an incentive (early 16th cent.).