suborn
Meanings
- To induce (someone) to commit an unlawful or malicious act, especially in a corrupt manner.
- To induce (someone, such as a witness) to commit perjury, for example by making a false accusation or giving false evidence.
- To achieve (some result; specifically, perjury) in a corrupt manner.
- To procure or provide (something) secretly and often in a dishonest manner.
- To make use of (something), especially for corrupt or dishonest reasons.
- To aid, assist, or support (something).
- To furnish or provide (something).
- To substitute (a thing) for something else, especially secretly and often in a dishonest manner.
Pronunciation
Word forms
Etymology
PIE word *upó Borrowed from Anglo-Norman suburner, subhorner, and Middle French suborner, subourner (“to induce (someone) to commit a crime (specifically perjury) or wrongdoing”) (modern French suborner (“to suborn; to bribe”)), and from its etymon Latin subōrnāre, the present active infinitive of subōrnō (“to incite, instigate, suborn; to instruct one for a secret purpose; to adorn, dress; to equip, furnish, provide; to make one appear as (something)”), from sub- (prefix meaning ‘under’) + ōrnō (“to equip, furnish, provide; to adorn, decorate, ornament”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂er- (“to put together, fit; to fix; to slot”)). Cognates * Catalan subornar * Italian subornare * Old Occitan subornar, sobornar * Portuguese subornar * Spanish subornar (obsolete), sobornar