bestechen
bribe
Jemandem Geld oder Geschenke geben, damit er etwas tut, das oft nicht erlaubt ist. Es kann auch heißen, durch etwas besonders zu gefallen.
Definition & meaning
bestechen is a German verb with two main meanings:
-
To bribe someone by offering money or another benefit in exchange for a favor or a particular decision.
Example: einen Beamten bestechen — to bribe a public official. -
To impress or stand out because of a striking quality, such as elegance, clarity, or high quality. This use often appears with durch (“by”): durch seine Qualität bestechen — to impress through its quality.
Grammar & Word origin
- Infinitive: bestechen
- Present tense: er/sie/es besticht
- Simple past: bestach
- Past participle: bestоchen
- Auxiliary verb: haben
- It is a strong (irregular), transitive verb: it usually takes a direct object when someone is bribed. In the “impress” sense, the thing that impresses is the subject.
The verb combines the prefix be- with stechen , “to sting” or “to prick.” The bribery sense developed figuratively from the idea of influencing or “piercing” someone’s judgment.
Synonyms & antonyms
Synonyms depend on the sense:
- bribe: schmieren is colloquial and usually means to bribe with money; korrumpieren is more formal and can also mean to corrupt someone more broadly.
- impress: beeindrucken is a general word for making a strong impression; überzeugen emphasizes persuading someone; glänzen means to shine or excel, rather than directly impress someone.
There is no single direct antonym for both meanings:
- For the bribery sense, ablehnen (“to refuse”) can describe rejecting a bribe. unbestechlich means “incorruptible” and describes a person who cannot be bribed.
- For the “impress” sense, enttäuschen (“to disappoint”) can express the opposite effect.
Common phrases & collocations
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Examples
Er versucht, den Beamten zu bestechen.verb
He is trying to bribe the official.
Sie werden wegen ihrer Fähigkeit, andere zu bestechen, oft kritisiert.verb
They are often criticized for their ability to bribe others.
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