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View synonyms for suborn

suborn

[ suh-bawrn ]

verb (used with object)

  1. to bribe or induce (someone) unlawfully or secretly to perform some misdeed or to commit a crime

    The drug cartel suborned the local police department to turn a blind eye to their trafficking.

  2. Law.
    1. to induce (a person, especially a witness) to give false testimony.
    2. to obtain (false testimony) from a witness.


suborn

/ ˌsʌbɔːˈneɪʃən; səˈbɔːn; sʌˈbɔːnətɪv /

verb

  1. to bribe, incite, or instigate (a person) to commit a wrongful act
  2. criminal law to induce (a witness) to commit perjury
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012


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Derived Forms

  • subˈorner, noun
  • subornation, noun
  • subornative, adjective
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Other Words From

  • sub·or·na·tion [suhb-awr-, ney, -sh, uh, n], noun
  • sub·or·na·tive [s, uh, -, bawr, -n, uh, -tiv], adjective
  • sub·orner noun
  • unsub·orned adjective
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Word History and Origins

Origin of suborn1

First recorded in 1525–35; from Latin subornāre “to instigate secretly, prepare clandestinely,” originally, “to supply,” equivalent to sub-, preposition and prefix + ornāre “to equip,” from an assumed ordnāre, a derivative of the noun ordō (stem ordin- ) “line, row, rank, grade”; sub-, order
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Word History and Origins

Origin of suborn1

C16: from Latin subornāre, from sub- secretly + ornāre to furnish
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Example Sentences

These perfect servants never make a mistake and they cannot be suborned.

This time, the heirs of the Confederacy have learned that is more effective to suborn the government than secede.

By rejecting this last attempt to suborn a dereliction of duty, Henry saved my reputation, my honor, my life, really.

If Blondel tampered with any one, he would naturally, if he knew aught of the house, suborn Claude or Anne.

Was there no postman or postmaster whom he could suborn to intercept them for him?

Meanwhile you suborn 'unwarranted belief' by making belief a matter of reward and penalty.

But the audacious Lauzun found means to suborn a well-meaning simpleton of a priest, who married them secretly the very same day.

For this purpose, he endeavoured to suborn a poet who lived under his patronage.

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subordinationismsubornation of perjury