suborn
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.
Law.
to induce (a person, especially a witness) to give false testimony.
to obtain (false testimony) from a witness.
Origin of suborn
1Other words from suborn
- sub·or·na·tion [suhb-awr-ney-shuhn], /ˌsʌb ɔrˈneɪ ʃən/, noun
- sub·or·na·tive [suh-bawr-nuh-tiv], /səˈbɔr nə tɪv/, adjective
- sub·orn·er, noun
- un·sub·orned, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use suborn in a sentence
This subornation of falsehood appears also to have been known to Mr. Hastings.
I had long cherished a reverence for him, which not even animosity and subornation on his part could utterly destroy.
Caleb Williams | William GodwinThe testimony of their own witnesses convicted them of subornation of perjury to destroy Smith.
Great Men and Famous Women. Vol. 5 of 8 | VariousHe should be careful lest he incur the moral guilt of subornation of perjury, if not the legal offence.
An Essay on Professional Ethics | George SharswoodExtradition Act 1873:- Kidnapping and false imprisonment; Perjury and subornation of perjury.
British Dictionary definitions for suborn
/ (səˈbɔːn) /
to bribe, incite, or instigate (a person) to commit a wrongful act
criminal law to induce (a witness) to commit perjury
Origin of suborn
1Derived forms of suborn
- subornation (ˌsʌbɔːˈneɪʃən), noun
- subornative (sʌˈbɔːnətɪv), adjective
- suborner, noun
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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