Bribery

3 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Bribery \Brib"er*y\, n.; pl. {Briberies}. [OE. brybery
     rascality, OF. briberie. See {Bribe}, n.]
     1. Robbery; extortion. [Obs.]
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. The act or practice of giving or taking bribes; the act of


        influencing the official or political action of another by
        corrupt inducements.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     {Bribery oath}, an oath taken by a person that he has not
        been bribed as to voting. [Eng.]
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  bribery
       n : the practice of offering something (usually money) in order
           to gain an illicit advantage [syn: {graft}]

From Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856) [bouvier]:

  BRIBERY, crim. law. The receiving or offering any undue reward by or to any 
  person whomsoever, whose ordinary profession or business relates to the 
  administration of public justice, in order to influence his behaviour in 
  office, and to incline him to act contrary to his duty and the known rules 
  of honesty and integrity. 3 Inst. 149; 1 Hawk. P. C. 67, s. 2 4 Bl. Com. 
  139; 1 Russ. Cr. 156. 
       2. The term bribery extends now further, and includes the offence of 
  giving a bribe to many other officers. The offence of the giver and of the 
  receiver of the bribe has the same name. For the sake of distinction, that 
  of the former, viz : the briber, might be properly denominated active. 
  bribery; while that of the latter, viz : the person bribed, might be called 
  passive bribery.   
       3. Bribery at elections for members of parliament, has always been a 
  crime at common law, and punishable by indictment or information. It still 
  remains so in England notwithstanding the stat. 24 Geo. H. c. 14 3 Burr. 
  1340, 1589. To constitute the offence, it is not necessary that the person 
  bribed should, in fact, vote as solicited to do 3 Burr. 1236; or even that 
  he should have a right to vote at all both are entirely immaterial. 3 Bur. 
  1590-1. 
       4. An attempt to bribe, though unsuccessful, has been holden to be 
  criminal, and the offender may be indicted. 2 Dall. 384; 4 Burr. 2500 3 
  Inst. 147; 2 Campb. R. 229; 2 Wash. 88; 1 Virg. Cas. 138; 2 Virg. Cas. 460.