Bribe v.

Also 4–6 brybe, 5 brybyn, 6 brybbe. [See under the sb.]

  † 1.  trans. To take dishonestly; to purloin; to steal, rob; to obtain by abuse of trust, or by extortion; to extort. Obs.

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Cokes T., 53. For ther is no thef withowten a lowke, That helpeth him to wasten and to sowke Of that he brybe [v.r. bribe] kan, or borwe may.

1401.  Pol. Poems (1859), II. 40. He chiterith and he bribith All that he may gete.

c. 1440.  Promp. Parv., 50/2. Brybyn, manticulo, latrocinor.

1494.  Fabyan, VII. 353. A parte was brought vnto y^e lordes, but y^e more part was stolen and brybed.

1538.  Bale, Johan Baptiste, in Harl. Misc., I. 106. [Publican says] By me, from hens fourth, nought from the poore shall be brybed.

1552.  Huloet, Polle, brybe, or extort.

1561.  Awdelay, Frat. Vacab., 13. A licoryce knave that will swill his maisters drink and brybe his meate.

1643.  Prynne, Power Parl., App. 30. Great taxes and summes of money … spent vainly and riotously, and bribed out of the Kings Coffers.

  † b.  absol. To steal, extort or purloin. Obs.

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Freres T., 78. This Somnour euere waityng on his pray for to somne an old wydwe a Ribibe ffeynynge a cause for he wolde brybe.

c. 1550.  Hye way Spyttel Ho., 283, in Hazl., E. P. P., IV. 37. They must beg, or els go brybe, and steale.

  2.  To influence corruptly, by a reward or consideration, the action of (a person); to pervert the judgment or corrupt the conduct by a gift. Const. with a consideration, to an action, to do a thing.

1528.  Roy, Rede me (Arb.), 54. They brybe hym … for to be favoured.

1603.  Shaks., Meas. for M., II. ii. 145. Hark, how Ile bribe you…. Ang. How? bribe me? Isa. I, with such gifts that heauen shall share with you.

1678.  N. Wanley, Wonders, V. ii. § 80. 472/2. He bribed the Bishop of Rome to the empoysoning of his brother Zemes.

1681.  Trial S. Colledge, 132. Do you take these men to be such absolute Novices, that they must seek an occasion to tell him they were bribed off, and were forsworn?

1789.  Bentham, Princ. Legisl., xviii. § 27, note. To bribe a trustee … is … to suborn him to be guilty of a breach or an abuse of trust.

1855.  Milman, Lat. Chr. (1864), III. VI. ii. 403. They endeavoured to bribe them with enormous pay to enter into their service.

1878.  Morley, Diderot, II. 23. The judges were bribed.

  b.  absol. To use or apply bribes; to practise bribery.

1768.  Johnson, in Goldsm., Good-nat. Man, Prol. 26. The bard may supplicate, but cannot bribe.

1848.  Macaulay, Hist. Eng., II. 158. He fawned, bullied, and bribed indefatigably.

  3.  trans. To purchase or obtain by bribery. arch.

1718.  Pope, Iliad, I. 284. And bribe thy friendship with a boundless store.

1733.  Swift, On Poetry, Wks. IV. I. 190. To bribe the judge’s vote.

1749.  Smollett, Regicide, I. vii. (1777), 22. Not thrones and diadems shall bribe My approbation!

1873.  [see BRIBED].

  4.  fig. To gain over by some influence.

1595.  Shaks., John, II. i. 171. With these Christall beads heauen shall be brib’d To doe him Iustice, and reuenge on you.

c. 1620.  Z. Boyd, Zion’s Flowers (1855), 33. A flattering sleepe Bribes them to rest.

1665.  Howard, Ind. Queen, IV. i. Your greater Merits bribe her to your side.

1869.  Buckle, Civiliz., III. v. 371. The memory of which is almost enough so to bribe the judgment.