bribee

Definition

Noun: A person who receives a bribe; someone who is offered or given money, gifts, or other incentives to act dishonestly in favor of the giver.

Usage Examples
  • (The person who received the bribe was recorded.)
  • (The recipient of the bribe was a public servant.)
  • (Both the giver and receiver of the bribe were punished.)
Advanced Usage
  • "to be a willing bribee": to accept a bribe without hesitation.

    • He was a willing bribee, eager to take money in exchange for favorable decisions. (He accepted the bribe willingly.)
  • "to act as a bribee": to perform the role of receiving a bribe.

    • The middleman acted as a bribee, funneling payments to the officials. (The intermediary received bribes on behalf of others.)
Variants and Related Words
  • Bribe (n/v): money or favors given to influence behavior; to offer such inducements.

    • She refused to accept a bribe. (She declined the illegal offer.)
    • They tried to bribe the judge. (They attempted to influence the judge with money.)
  • Bribery (n): the act of offering, giving, receiving, or soliciting a bribe.

    • Bribery is a serious crime in many countries. (The practice of exchanging bribes is illegal.)
Synonyms
  • Recipient of a bribe: a person who takes a bribe.
  • Corrupt official: a public servant who accepts bribes.
  • Payoff recipient: someone who receives a secret payment for dishonest services.
Related Idioms
  • "To grease someone's palm": to bribe someone.

    • The contractor greased the inspector's palm to overlook the violations. (The contractor bribed the inspector.)
  • "To buy someone off": to pay someone to stop causing trouble or to act dishonestly.

    • The company tried to buy off the whistleblower with a large payment. (The company bribed the whistleblower to remain silent.)

Note: The word "bribee" is relatively rare in everyday English; it is more common in legal or formal contexts. The more frequent terms are "bribe recipient" or simply "the person who took the bribe."