bribe

Webster's Dictionary (1913)

Origin: F. bribe a lump of bread, scraps, leavings of meals (that are generally given to a beggar), LL. briba scrap of bread; cf. OF. briber, brifer, to eat gluttonously, to beg, and OHG. bilibi food.

1. A gift begged; a present. obsolete Geoffrey Chaucer

2. A price, reward, gift, or favor bestowed or promised with a view to prevent the judgment or corrupt the conduct of a judge, witness, voter, or other person in a position of trust.

Undue reward for anything against justice is a bribe.— Hobart, Sir Henry

3. That which seduces; seduction; allurement.

Not the bribes of sordid wealth can seduce to leave these ever blooming sweets.— Mark Akenside

1. To rob or steal. obsolete Geoffrey Chaucer

2. To give or promise a reward or consideration to (a judge, juror, legislator, voter, or other person in a position of trust) with a view to prevent the judgment or corrupt the conduct; to induce or influence by a bribe; to give a bribe to.

Neither is he worthy who bribes a man to vote against his conscience.— Fred William Robertson

3. To gain by a bribe; of induce as by a bribe.

1. To commit robbery or theft. obsolete

2. To give a bribe to a person; to pervert the judgment or corrupt the action of a person in a position of trust, by some gift or promise.

An attempt to bribe, though unsuccessful, has been holden to be criminal, and the offender may be indicted.— Bouvier, John

The bard may supplicate, but cannot bribe.— Oliver Goldsmith

Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913), from GCIDE 0.54