Definition of Blackmail

Blackmail

A certain rate of money, corn, cattle, or other thing, anciently paid, in the north of England and south of Scotland, to certain men who were allied to robbers, or moss troopers, to be by them protected from pillage.

Payment of money exacted by means of intimidation; also, extortion of money from a person by threats of public accusation, exposure, or censure.

Black rent, or rent paid in corn, flesh, or the lowest coin, a opposed to "white rent", which paid in silver.

To extort money from by exciting fears of injury other than bodily harm, as injury to reputation, distress of mind, etc.; as, to blackmail a merchant by threatening to expose an alleged fraud.

Related Definitions:

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Blackmail Quotations

Socialism is a fraud, a comedy, a phantom, a blackmail.
Benito Mussolini

We can't allow the world's worst leaders to blackmail, threaten, hold freedom-loving nations hostage with the world's worst weapons.
George W. Bush

Emotion resulting from a work of art is only of value when it is not obtained by sentimental blackmail.
Jean Cocteau

The long-established and noble rule of Law, one of the greatest products of the character and tradition of British history, has suffered a deadly blow. Blackmail has become respectable.
Robert Menzies

In fact, this is a blackmail of the terrorists at the expense of the suffering of the hostages.
Alberto Fujimori

Every conceivable cruel method of blackmail was used against me to obtain by force and at all costs confessions and statements both about comrades who had been arrested, and about political activities.
Ernst Thalmann

Friendship is mutual blackmail elevated to the level of love.
Robin Morgan

More Blackmail Quotations

Blackmail Translations

blackmail in French is chantage
blackmail in German is erpressen, Erpressung, Erpressung
blackmail in Italian is ricatto
blackmail in Spanish is chantaje, concusion
blackmail in Swedish is utpressning, utpressa

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