v. Obs. Also 4–5 corompe, corumpe, 5 corroumpe, corumppe, crompe, 5–6 corrompe. [a. OF. corompre, corrumpre (mod.F. corrompre = Pr. corrompre, It. corrompere):—L. corrump-ĕre to break in pieces, destroy, ruin, spoil, mar, adulterate, falsify, draw to evil, seduce, bribe, f. cor- together, altogether + rumpĕre to break, violate, destroy, etc. In Fr. also to spoil by decomposition, rot, render putrid.]

1

  1.  trans. To bring to naught, destroy, mar, spoil, render useless.

2

a. 1340.  Hampole, Psalter i. i Moryn or manqwalm … þt nerand corompis all men.

3

c. 1374.  Chaucer, Boeth., III. xi. 98. Thinges þat ben contraryes and enemys corompen hem.

4

1382.  Wyclif, Hos. ii. 12. I shal corrumpe, or distruye, hir vyne ȝeerd, and hir fijge tree.

5

1489.  Caxton, Faytes of A., II. xxxvi. 154. By the softnes of thees thinges … the stroke of the engyn shal be corromped and vayne.

6

  2.  To decompose, cause to rot or decay; to infect or taint with corruption.

7

a. 1340.  Hampole, Pr. Consc., 850. It myght be ayr swa corrumpud mak Þat men þarof þe dede suld take.

8

1382.  Wyclif, 1 Cor. v. 6. A litil sour dowȝ corumpith, or defoulith, al the gobet.

9

1398.  Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XI. xiii. (1582), 164. Thunder … corrumpeth wine in tuns.

10

1460–70.  Bk. Quintessence, I. 2. Eir corrumpeþ a þing a-noon.

11

c. 1525.  Skelton, Bk. 3 Foles. He loseth his soule, and corrompeth his body.

12

  3.  To destroy morally, make morally corrupt.

13

a. 1340.  Hampole, Psal. v. 1. Stynkand wordes þat corumpis þe herers.

14

1340.  Ayenb., 140. Þet hi ne by ycorumped ne by ydele blisse, ne be zorȝe [etc.].

15

1481.  Caxton, Myrr., II. viii. 85. Crysten men corrumped by the mariages … that they … make wyth the sarasyns.

16

c. 1532.  Dewes, Introd. Fr., in Palsgr., 941. To corrumpe or corrupt, corompre.

17

  4.  To corrupt by bribery.

18

1387.  Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), VII. 324. Kyng William corumpede þe wardeynes wiþ money.

19

1474.  Caxton, Chesse, 26. By gold ne siluer he shal not be corrupt ne corompid.

20

  5.  To corrupt (language).

21

a. 1400[?].  Morte Arth., 3478. Of langage of Rome, Of Latyne corroumppede alle.

22

  6.  intr. To become corrupt; to putrefy or rot.

23

c. 1374.  Chaucer, Boeth., III. xi. 96. Whan it forletiþ to ben oone, it mot nedis dien and corrumpe to-gidre.

24

c. 1400.  Lanfranc’s Cirurg., 77. To greet aboundaunce of mater corrumpinge.

25

1460–70.  Bk. Quintessence, I. 2. It schal not corrumpe ne rote whilis it is þerinne.

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