† coˈrrump, v. Obs.
Also 4–5 corompe, corumpe, 5 corroumpe, corumppe, crompe, 5–6 corrompe.
[a. OF. corompre, corrumpre (mod.F. corrompre = Pr. corrompre, It. corrompere):—L. corrump-ĕre to break in pieces, destroy, ruin, spoil, mar, adulterate, falsify, draw to evil, seduce, bribe, f. cor- together, altogether + rumpĕre to break, violate, destroy, etc. In Fr. also to spoil by decomposition, rot, render putrid.]
1. trans. To bring to naught, destroy, mar, spoil, render useless.
| a 1340 Hampole Psalter i. 1 Moryn or manqwalm..þ{supt} nerand corompis all men. c 1374 Chaucer Boeth. iii. xi. 98 Thinges þat ben contraryes and enemys corompen hem. 1382 Wyclif Hos. ii. 12, I shal corrumpe, or distruye, hir vyne ȝeerd, and hir fijge tree. 1489 Caxton Faytes of A. ii. xxxvi. 154 By the softnes of thees thinges..the stroke of the engyn shal be corromped and vayne. |
2. To decompose, cause to rot or decay; to infect or taint with corruption.
| 1340 Hampole Pr. Consc. 850 It myght þe ayr swa corrumpud mak Þat men þarof þe dede suld take. 1382 Wyclif 1 Cor. v. 6 A litil sour dowȝ corumpith, or defoulith, al the gobet. 1398 Trevisa Barth. De P.R. xi. xiii. (1582) 164 Thunder..corrumpeth wine in tuns. 1460–70 Bk. Quintessence i. 2 Eir corrumpeþ a þing a-noon. c 1525 Skelton Bk. 3 Foles, He loseth his soule, and corrompeth his body. |
3. To destroy morally, make morally corrupt.
| a 1340 Hampole Psal. v. 11 Stynkand wordes þat corumpis þe herers. 1340 Ayenb. 140 Þet hi ne by ycorumped ne by ydele blisse, ne be zorȝe, etc. 1481 Caxton Myrr. ii. viii. 85 Crysten men corrumped by the mariages..that they..make wyth the sarasyns. c 1532 G. Du Wes Introd. Fr. in Palsgr. 941 To corrumpe or corrupt, corompre. |
4. To corrupt by bribery.
| 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) VII. 324 Kyng William corumpede þe wardeynes wiþ money. 1474 Caxton Chesse 26 By gold ne siluer he shal not be corrupt ne corompid. |
5. To corrupt (language).
| ? a 1400 Morte Arth. 3478 Of langage of Rome, Of Latyne corroumppede alle. |
6. intr. To become corrupt; to putrefy or rot.
| c 1374 Chaucer Boeth. iii. xi. 96 Whan it forletiþ to ben oone, it mot nedis dien and corrumpe to-gidre. c 1400 Lanfranc's Cirurg. 77 To greet aboundaunce of mater corrumpinge. 1460–70 Bk. Quintessence i. 2 It schal not corrumpe ne rote whilis it is þerinne. |