suborn

[ suh-bawrn ]
/ səˈbɔrn /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR suborn ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object)

to bribe or induce (someone) unlawfully or secretly to perform some misdeed or to commit a crime.
Law.
  1. to induce (a person, especially a witness) to give false testimony.
  2. to obtain (false testimony) from a witness.

Origin of suborn

1525–35; < Latin subornāre to instigate secretly, orig., to supply, equivalent to sub- sub- + ornāre to equip; see adorn

OTHER WORDS FROM suborn

sub·or·na·tion [suhb-awr-ney-shuh n] /ˌsʌb ɔrˈneɪ ʃən/, noun sub·or·na·tive [suh-bawr-nuh-tiv] /səˈbɔr nə tɪv/, adjective sub·orn·er, noun un·sub·orned, adjective

Words nearby suborn

subordinated, subordinated debt, subordinating conjunction, subordination, subordinationism, suborn, subornation of perjury, suboscine, subotica, suboxide, subpapular

Words related to suborn

instigate, incite, procure, bribe

Example sentences from the Web for suborn

British Dictionary definitions for suborn

suborn
/ (səˈbɔːn) /

verb (tr)

to bribe, incite, or instigate (a person) to commit a wrongful act
criminal law to induce (a witness) to commit perjury

Derived forms of suborn

subornation (ˌsʌbɔːˈneɪʃən), noun subornative (sʌˈbɔːnətɪv), adjective suborner, noun

Word Origin for suborn

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