lubrication payment

plural lubrication payments

1. euphemisticidiomaticbusinessA bribe or extorted money, usually relatively small in amount, provided to a low-level government official or business person, in order to expedite a business decision, shipment, or other transaction, especially in a country where such payments are not unusual.

   A lubrication payment is a small payment to low-level business people or government officials to "grease the wheels" of business.

   1995, Mark E. Mendenhall et al., Global Management, →ISBN, page 145

   1 more example

   Lubrication payments are made with requests for a person to perform a task faster or more efficiently, whereas subornation is an act of asking officials to neglect their duties or do something illegal.

   2001, Y. H. Wong, Thomas K. Leung, Guanxi: Relationship marketing in a Chinese context, →ISBN, page 105

   Synonyms: grease payment, grease money, palm oil, baksheesh