The offering, giving, receiving, or soliciting of something of value to influence the actions of an official or person in a position of trust. It corrupts decision-making processes by substituting personal gain for proper judgment.
From Old French 'briber' meaning 'to beg' or 'go begging.' The term evolved from describing the act of giving alms to beggars to the corrupt practice of giving payments to influence official decisions, reflecting how the line between charity and corruption can blur.
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