A bribe is an offer of money or some thing of value in exchange for a favor or favorable service. A bribe might be illegal, depending on the circumstances under which the bribe is offered. In most cases, a bribe is not a good thing because it gives the person who offers a bribe an unfair advantage, and it’s a form of corruption.
Todd offered a police officer a bribe and was promptly arrested. (In this sentence, "bribe" is a noun.)
He learned that bribing a police officer is against the law. (In this sentence, "bribe" is a gerund.)
Mary Anne bribed her teacher with a gift card and the bribe worked. She got a better grade in her English class. (In this sentence, the word "bribe" is a verb and a noun.)
That store bribes its customers with low prices on things that sell out quickly.
Sometimes I have to bribe my dog with a dog treat in order to get her to stop chasing rabbits.
Has anyone ever tried to bribe you?
He’s offering a bribe.
The word "bribery" is a noun. This word is usually used when talking about crime.
The lawyer was charged with the crime of bribery.
He’s probably going to spend time in prison because the bribery charge involved over a million dollars.
Bribery and corruption are fairly common in many places around the world.
He’s offering a bribe.