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blackmail

black·mail

blackmail

 
 
pronunciation:
blaek meIl
parts of speech:
noun, verb
part of speech: noun
definition 1: money demanded from someone by another person who threatens to give out information that would harm that person.
He was forced to pay blackmail to the man who had seen him commit the crime.
similar words:
bribe, protection, ransom
definition 2: the act of getting such money or of trying to get it.
He used blackmail to get money from the corrupt politician.
 
part of speech: verb
inflections: blackmails, blackmailing, blackmailed
definition: to obtain or try to obtain blackmail from.
The butler tried to blackmail Mrs. Potter after he found out that she poisoned her husband.
similar words:
bleed, extract, milk
derivation: blackmailer (n.)