subornation
(sʌbɔːˈneɪʃən)
Also 6 -acion, subborn-, 7 subernation.
[ad. L. subornātio, -ōnem, n. of action f. subornāre to suborn. Cf. F. subornation, It. subornazione, etc.]
1. The act of inducing or procuring a person to commit an evil action, by bribery, corruption, or the like; an instance of this. Also, † underhand action.
| a 1548 Hall Chron., Hen. VII, 47 b, He by his crafty subornacions had persuaded diuerse..to beleue..that he was the same verey person. 1579–80 North Plutarch, Solon (1595) 99 Those that were compassed..by subornation at length to do a thing against their will. 1601 R. Johnson Kingd. & Commw. (1603) 225 By the subernation of the viceroy of Algier he was murdred in his tent by certain Turks. 1670 G. H. Hist. Cardinals iii. iii. 304 Without Bribery, or Subornation, he had attain'd to the dignity of the Purple. a 1715 Burnet Own Time (1724) I. 510 He protested..that he knew of no subornation in all that matter. 1842 De Quincey Cicero Wks. 1857 VII. 187 The sort of chicanery attending his subornation of managers in the Leibnitz controversy. 1853 Grote Greece ii. lxxxvi. XI. 291 By the hands of assassins and the treacherous subornation of his mother Eurydike. |
2. The act of procuring a person to give false evidence. Also, an instance of this.
| 1528 More Dyaloge iii. Wks. 211/2 For fere of subornacion & false instruction of witnesse. 1590 Greene Never too late (1600) 82 Hee hath produced this younge man by a sinister subornation to periure himselfe. 1659 Gentl. Calling 420 If a witness prove a better pennyworth than the Judge, subornation shall do the business. 1748 Smollett Rod. Rand. xxxi. (1760) I. 241 chapter-heading, I discover a subornation against me, by means of a quarrel between two of the evidences. 1792 Burke Corr. (1844) IV. 74 A perjury as bloody as that of Oates and Bedlow;—a subornation as audacious. 1847 James Convict xli, This is something like a subornation of witnesses. |
b. subornation of perjury: the act of procuring a witness on oath to commit perjury.
| 1588 Fraunce Lawiers Logike i. xix. 67 If any of them [i.e. jurors] bee discredited by Law as by attainder in conspiracy..subornation of perjury, or such like. 1678 Marvell Growth Popery Wks. (Grosart) IV. 333 For subornation of perjury, tending to the defamation of his Majesty. 1765–8 Erskine Inst. Laws Scot. iv. iv. §75 Subornation of perjury consists in tampering with those who are to swear in judgement, by soliciting or directing them how they are to depose, without regard to truth. 1797 Jacob's Law Dict. (ed. 10) s.v. Perjury, If the person incited to take such oath do not actually take it, the person by whom he was so incited is not guilty of subornation. 1911 Act 1 & 2 Geo. V, c. 6 §8 Any offence punishable as perjury or as subornation of perjury. |
| transf. 1858 Merivale Rom. Emp. liv. (1865) VI. 405 A cheap subornation of flattery. |
† c. A statement corruptly obtained.
Obs. rare.
| 1737 Whiston Josephus, Antiq. vii. viii. §4 The King perceived that this pretended story was a subornation derived from Joab, and was of his contrivance. |
† 3. The action of bringing a person to one's assistance or support.
Obs.| 1600 Sir W. Cornwallis Ess. ii. xlvi. Mm 4 b, Her [sc. Virtue's] counsels shall bee held so sincere, as they shall be accepted without the subornation of the nimph Egeria. |