suborn
[suh-bawrn]
- to bribe or induce (someone) unlawfully or secretly to perform some misdeed or to commit a crime.
- Law.
- to induce (a person, especially a witness) to give false testimony.
- to obtain (false testimony) from a witness.
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Origin of suborn
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for suborned
Contemporary Examples
In the 1950s, people worried that government officials who traveled abroad might have been suborned by communist agents.
He seduced and suborned some of its biggest stars with big paydays delivered to secret bank accounts.
Historical Examples
Had the Teutons suborned him the Marshal could not have done them a better turn.
Camps, Quarters and Casual PlacesArchibald Forbes
The belief was that Parker was suborned to refuse longer to publish it.
She mended and darned for them and suborned old women to help her.
The Rough RoadWilliam John Locke
Spies were paid; witnesses were suborned; juries were packed.
History of Civilization in England, Vol. 1 of 3Henry Thomas Buckle
I know that they were suborned by Probus and that they are in the power of Merridew.
The Orange GirlWalter Besant
suborn
- to bribe, incite, or instigate (a person) to commit a wrongful act
- criminal law to induce (a witness) to commit perjury
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Word Origin
C16: from Latin subornāre, from sub- secretly + ornāre to furnish
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for suborned
suborn
v.
"to procure by bribery, to lure (someone) to commit a crime," 1520s (implied in subornation), from Middle French suborner (13c.), from Latin subornare "suborn," originally "equip," from sub "under, secretly" (see sub-) + ornare "equip," related to ordo "order" (see order). Related: Suborned; suborning.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper