noun
bribe
bryb
noun
1
Money or a favor given to someone to influence their decision dishonestly.
"The official was caught accepting a bribe from a contractor."
"Offering a bribe to a police officer is a serious crime."
verb
1
To offer someone money or a favor to influence them dishonestly.
"They tried to bribe the inspector to overlook the violations."
"She jokingly bribed her son with ice cream to finish his homework."
How to Use Bribe
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA dishonest payment (or the act of offering one) to get someone to do something they shouldn't.
Common mistake
Used loosely and jokingly for harmless persuasion ("I bribed the kids with candy"), but in a legal or formal context it always implies corruption.
Common pairings
accept a bribe
offer a bribe
bribe an official
Word Forms
bribed past tense, bribes plural, bribes singular
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The official was caught accepting a _____ from a contractor.
Etymology
From Old French briber, "to beg", originally describing money given to a beggar — the meaning later shifted to a corrupt payment for favors.