corrupt

comparative more corrupt · superlative most corrupt · alternative corrumpt · alternative corrump · alternative corroupt

1. Willing to act dishonestly for personal gain; accepting bribes.
2. In a depraved state; debased; perverted; morally degenerate; weak in morals.

   The government here is corrupt, so we'll emigrate to escape them.

   2 more examples

   The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.

   1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Genesis 6:11

   At what ease Might corrupt minds procure knaves as corrupt To swear against you.

   1613 (date written), William Shakespeare, [John Fletcher], “The Famous History of the Life of King Henry the Eight”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene i]

3. Abounding in errors; not genuine or correct; in an invalid state.

   The text of the manuscript is corrupt.

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   It turned out that the program was corrupt - that's why it wouldn't open.

4. In a putrid state; spoiled; tainted; vitiated; unsound.

   with such corrupt and pestilent bread to feed them.

   1603, Richard Knolles, The Generall Historie of the Turkes, […], London: […] Adam Islip, →OCLC

present singular third person corrupts · participle present corrupting · participle past corrupted · past corrupted · alternative corrumpt · alternative corrump · alternative corroupt

1. transitiveTo make corrupt; to change from good to bad; to draw away from the right path; to deprave; to pervert.

   Don't you dare corrupt my son with those disgusting pictures!

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   And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.

   1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Genesis 6:12

   I think that there is a bad idea around in our world, and that idea is that 'power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely'. I think what really happens is that power attracts the corruptible.

   1985 April 17, Frank Herbert, 34:18 from the start, in Frank Herbert speaking at UCLA 4/17/1985, UCLACommStudies, archived from the original on 10 Feb 2017

   George Soros remains a favorite target of conservative conspiracy theorists, seeing his corrupting influence behind every liberal movement and within every nook and cranny.

   2020 November 18, Brian Lowry, “‘Soros’ looks at the life and activism of the right’s favorite bogeyman”, in CNN

   Synonyms: defile, lead astray, sully, warp, defile, desecrate, profanate, profane

2. archaicintransitiveTo become putrid, tainted, or otherwise impure; to putrefy; to rot.

   he entrails, which are the parts aptest to corrupt

   1627 (indicated as 1626), Francis [Bacon], “VIII. Century.”, in Sylua Syluarum: Or A Naturall Historie. In Ten Centuries. […], London: […] William Rawley […]; [p]rinted by J[ohn] H[aviland] for William Lee […], →OCLC

   1 more example

   […] Lanfrank takes Notice of Tract. 3. Doct. 3. cap. 18. ſaying, "I have ſeen many who being full of Humours, have made an Iſſue under the Knee, before due Purgation had been premis'd; whence, by reaſon of the too great Defluxion of Humours, the Legs tumified, ſo that the cauterized Place corrupted, and a Cancer (or rather cacoethic Ulcer) was thereby made, with which great Difficulty was cur'd."

   1732, George Smith, Institutiones Chirurgicæ: or, Principles of Surgery, … To which is Annexed, a Chirurgical Dispensatory, …, London: Printed [by William Bowyer] for Henry Lintot, at the Cross-Keys against St. Dunstan's Church in Fleetstreet, →OCLC, page 254

   Synonyms: decay, decompose, fester

3. transitiveTo introduce errors; to place into an invalid state.

   Unplugging a flash drive without dismounting it first can corrupt the data stored on the drive.

4. To debase or make impure by alterations or additions; to falsify.

   to corrupt a book

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   to corrupt language, or a holy text

   Synonyms: adulter, bastardize, sophisticate, abase, adulter, adulterate, adulterize, alloy

5. To waste, spoil, or consume; to make worthless.

   Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt.

   1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Matthew 6:19

   Synonyms: mar, ruin, vitiate, ball up, blight, bumble, botch, bugger up