a. [ L. corruptus, p. p. of corrumpere to corrupt; cor- + rumpere to break. See Rupture. ] 1. Changed from a sound to a putrid state; spoiled; tainted; vitiated; unsound. [ 1913 Webster ]

Who with such corrupt and pestilent bread would feed them. Knolles. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Changed from a state of uprightness, correctness, truth, etc., to a worse state; vitiated; depraved; debased; perverted; as, corrupt language; corrupt judges. [ 1913 Webster ]

At what ease
Might corrupt minds procure knaves as corrupt
To swear against you. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Abounding in errors; not genuine or correct; as, the text of the manuscript is corrupt. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Corrupted; p. pr. & vb. n. Corrupting. ] 1. To change from a sound to a putrid or putrescent state; to make putrid; to putrefy. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To change from good to bad; to vitiate; to deprave; to pervert; to debase; to defile. [ 1913 Webster ]

Evil communications corrupt good manners. 1. Cor. xv. 33. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To draw aside from the path of rectitude and duty; as, to corrupt a judge by a bribe. [ 1913 Webster ]

Heaven is above all yet; there sits a Judge
That no king can corrupt. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To debase or render impure by alterations or innovations; to falsify; as, to corrupt language; to corrupt the sacred text. [ 1913 Webster ]

He that makes an ill use of it [ language ], though he does not corrupt the fountains of knowledge, . . . yet he stops the pines. Locke. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. To waste, spoil, or consume; to make worthless. [ 1913 Webster ]

Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt. Matt. vi. 19. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. 1. To become putrid or tainted; to putrefy; to rot. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To become vitiated; to lose purity or goodness. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who corrupts; one who vitiates or taints; as, a corrupter of morals. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Tending to corrupt; full of corruption. [ Obs. ] “Corruptful bribes.” Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. corruptibilitas: cf. F. corruptibilité. ] The quality of being corruptible; the possibility or liability of being corrupted; corruptibleness. Burke. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. corruptibilis: cf. F. corruptible. ] 1. Capable of being made corrupt; subject to decay. “Our corruptible bodies.” Hooker. [ 1913 Webster ]

Ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold. 1 Pet. i. 18. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Capable of being corrupted, or morally vitiated; susceptible of depravation. [ 1913 Webster ]

They systematically corrupt very corruptible race. Burke.

-- Cor*rupt"i*ble*ness, n. -- Cor*rupt"i*bly, adv. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. That which may decay and perish; the human body. [ Archaic ] 1 Cor. xv. 53. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a manner that corrupts. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. corruption, L. corruptio. ] 1. The act of corrupting or making putrid, or state of being corrupt or putrid; decomposition or disorganization, in the process of putrefaction; putrefaction; deterioration. [ 1913 Webster ]

The inducing and accelerating of putrefaction is a subject of very universal inquiry; for corruption is a reciprocal to “generation”. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The product of corruption; putrid matter. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. The act of corrupting or of impairing integrity, virtue, or moral principle; the state of being corrupted or debased; loss of purity or integrity; depravity; wickedness; impurity; bribery. [ 1913 Webster ]

It was necessary, by exposing the gross corruptions of monasteries, . . . to exite popular indignation against them. Hallam. [ 1913 Webster ]

They abstained from some of the worst methods of corruption usual to their party in its earlier days. Bancroft. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Corruption, when applied to officers, trustees, etc., signifies the inducing a violation of duty by means of pecuniary considerations. Abbott. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. The act of changing, or of being changed, for the worse; departure from what is pure, simple, or correct; as, a corruption of style; corruption in language. [ 1913 Webster ]

Corruption of blood (Law), taint or impurity of blood, in consequence of an act of attainder of treason or felony, by which a person is disabled from inheriting any estate or from transmitting it to others. [ 1913 Webster ]

Corruption of blood can be removed only by act of Parliament. Blackstone.

Syn. -- Putrescence; putrefaction; defilement; contamination; deprivation; debasement; adulteration; depravity; taint. See Depravity. [ 1913 Webster ]