suborn

Verb

suborn (third-person singular simple present suborns, present participle suborning, simple past and past participle suborned)

1. (also, figuratively, transitive) To induce (someone) to commit an unlawful or malicious act, especially in a corrupt manner.
   • Till thou to ſpit the venome of thy ſpite, / Subornedſt Cupid how he ſoone might ſlay me, / Abandoning his bowe and arrowes quite, / You laid his priuie complot to betray me; […]1600, Samuel Nicholson, “Sic incipit Stultorum tragicomedia”, in Alexander B[alloch] Grosart, editor, Acolastus His After-witte (1600.): A Poem by Samuel Nicholson, […], Manchester: […] [Charles E....
   • [H]ee ſuborneth one named Saulus and the ſouldiers of the Ievves to follovv the Gothes hard at the heeles, vvho killing ſome thouſands of them, oportunitie beeing offered, might by that meanes exaſperat at the mindes of the people and mooue them to breake the league.1610, Ioannes Lodovicus Vives [i.e., Juan Luis Vives], “An Advertisement of Ioannes Lodovicus Vives of Valentia. Declaring What Manner of People the Gothes were, and How They Tooke Rome.”, in Saint...

   Synonyms:

   debauch, lead astray, seduce, adulterate, corrupt, demoralize, detort, file, immoralize, pervert

   1. (also, figuratively, specifically, transitive, criminal law) To induce (someone, such as a witness) to commit perjury, for example by making a false accusation or giving false evidence.
      • [Y]ou shall finde their tongues chayned to another mans trencher, and as it were, Knights of the Post, suborned to say, sweare and stare the uttermost they can, as those that passe not what they say, nor with what face they say it, so they say no truth.1596 (date written; published 1633), Edmund Spenser, A Vewe of the Present State of Irelande […], Dublin: […] Societie of Stationers, […], →OCLC; republished as A View of the State of Ireland […]...
      • By heauen (fond vvretch) yͧ knovvſt not vvhat thou ſpeak'ſt, / Or elſe thou art ſuborn'd againſt his honor / In hatefull practiſe: […]c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Measure for Measure”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward]...
2. (transitive) To achieve (some result; specifically, perjury) in a corrupt manner.
   • [U]pon ſingle Perjuries ſuborned by themſelves they condemned Men unheard, and ſold their Eſtates vvithout ſuffering them to ſpeak for themſelves— […]1659, Samuel Butler, “Two Speeches Made in the Rump-Parliament, when It was Restor’d by the Officers of the Army in the Year 1659”, in R[obert] Thyer, editor, The Genuine Remains in Verse and Prose...
   • [F]or my part, I vvould as ſoon ſuborn an Evidence at an Aſſize, as a Vote at an Election.1736 March 16 (first performance; Gregorian calendar), Henry Fielding, Pasquin. A Dramatick Satire on the Times: […], London: […] J. Watts […], published 1736, →OCLC, Act I, page 9
3. (archaic, transitive) To procure or provide (something) secretly and often in a dishonest manner.
   • In a golden bowl / She then suborn'd a potion, in her soul / Deform'd things thinking; for amidst the wine / She mix'd her man-transforming medicine; […]1614–1615, Homer, “The Tenth Book of Homer’s Odysseys”, in Geo[rge] Chapman, transl., Homer’s Odysses. […], London: […] Rich[ard] Field [and William Jaggard], for Nathaniell Butter, published 1615...
   • Firm we ſubſiſt, yet poſſible to ſwerve, / Since Reaſon not impoſſibly may meet / Some ſpecious object by the Foe ſubornd, […]1667, John Milton, “Book VIII”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC...
4. (archaic, transitive) To make use of (something), especially for corrupt or dishonest reasons.
   • Nor is he onely content to ſuborne Divine Juſtice in his cenſure of vvhat is paſt, but he aſſumes the perſon of Chriſt himſelf to prognoſticate over us vvhat he vviſhes vvould come.1649, J[ohn] Milton, “Vpon the Armies Surprisall of the King at Holmeby”, in ΕΙΚΟΝΟΚΛΆΣΤΗΣ [Eikonoklástēs] […], London: […] Matthew Simmons, […], →OCLC, page 210
5. (obsolete, transitive) To aid, assist, or support (something).
   • And fell much wood, that all night we may keep / Plenty of fires, even till the light bring forth the lovely morn; / And let their brightness glaze the skies, that night may not suborn / The Greeks' escape, […][1611?], Homer, “Book VIII”, in Geo[rge] Chapman, transl., The Iliads of Homer Prince of Poets. […], London: […] Nathaniell Butter, →OCLC; republished as The Iliads of Homer, Prince of Poets, […]...
6. (obsolete, transitive) To furnish or provide (something).
   • And ſurely if the purpoſe be in good earneſt not to vvrite at leaſure that vvhich mẽ [men] may read at leaſure, but really to inſtruct and ſuborne Action and actiue life, theſe Georgickes of the mind concerning the huſbãdry & tillage thereof, are no leſſe vvorthy thẽ the heroical deſcriptiõs of...1605, Francis Bacon, “The Second Booke”, in The Twoo Bookes of Francis Bacon. Of the Proficience and Aduancement of Learning, Diuine and Humane, London: […] [Thomas Purfoot and Thomas Creede] for...
7. (obsolete, transitive) To substitute (a thing) for something else, especially secretly and often in a dishonest manner.
   • I wiſh unto thee all ſuperabundant increaſe of the ſingular gifts of abſurditie and vaine glory: […] in ſupplanting and ſetting aſide the true children of the Engliſh, and ſuborning inkehorne changlings in their ſteade; […]1592, Tho[mas] Nashe, Strange Newes, of the Intercepting Certaine Letters and a Convoy of Verses, […], London: […] Iohn Danter, […], →OCLC; republished in J[ohn] Payne Collier, editor, Illustrations...