Forms: 4–5 corrupcioun, corupcioun, -cion, 4 corrupcyone, 4–6 -cion, 5–6 -cyon, -cione, 5 -tyown, 6 -tione, (corouption), 6– corruption. [a. F. corruption (12th c.), in OF. also -tiun, -cion, ad. L. corruptiōn-em, n. of action from corrump-ĕre to corrupt. Adopted from theological Latin.] The action of corrupting the fact of being corrupted; the condition of being corrupt; corrupt matter; a corrupt example or form; corrupting agency: in the various physical, moral and transferred applications of CORRUPT.
I. Physical.
† 1. The destruction or spoiling of anything, esp. by disintegration or by decomposition with its attendant unwholesomeness and loathsomeness; putrefaction. Obs.
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. XX. 98. Kynde come after with many kene sores, As pokkes and pestilences and moche poeple shente; So kynde þorw corupciouns kulled ful manye.
1382. Wyclif, Dan. iii. 92. Loo! I see foure men … walkynge in mydil of the fyre, and no thing of corrupcioun is in hem.
c. 1400. Maundev. (Roxb.), viii. 31. In þat abbay commes neuer fleess, ne flyes, ne nan oþer swilk vermyn of corrupcioun.
1546. Phaër, Bk. Childr. (1553), R ij b. The hole body falleth in distemper … it procedeth commonly by corrupcion of the milke.
1626. Bacon, Sylva, § 771. If you provide against the causes of Putrefaction, matter maketh not that haste to corruption, that is conceived.
1718. J. Chamberlayne, Relig. Philos. (1730), I. iii. § 2. The naked Bone can rarely endure the Air without Corruption.
fig. 1613. Shaks., Hen. VIII., IV. ii. 71. After my death, I wish no other Herald … To keepe mine Honor, from Corruption, But such an honest Chronicler as Griffith.
b. spec. Decomposition as a consequence of death; dissolution.
a. 1340. Hampole, Psalter xv. 10. Ne þou sall gif þi haligh to see corupcioun.
1382. Wyclif, 1 Cor. xv. 42. The aȝen rysinge of deed men. It is sowun in corupcioun.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 10787. His corse … come to corupcioun, as his kynd asked.
1533. Gau, Richt Vay (1888), 34. Yair sal be na generacione na corrupcione eftir dwmis day.
1615. Crooke, Body of Man, 19. If we would keepe a body long, the dissection must be begun at those parts which are most subiect to corruption.
1626. Bacon, Sylva, § 328. Corruption is a Reciprocal to Generation.
1799. G. Smith, Laboratory, I. 324. Whatever is put in this oil, will keep from corruption without changing, for ages.
1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), III. 511. When the bodies of the dead were taken up already in a state of corruption.
† c. Applied to inorganic matter: The breaking up or decomposition of a body, the oxidation or corrosion of metals, etc. Obs.
1563. Fulke, Meteors (1640), 67. Copper, in colour, comming neerest to Gold … giveth way to corruption, being infected with that greene minerall Copperus.
1594. T. B., La Primaud. Fr. Acad., II. 133. They are subiect to corruption, and so are all the creatures that are compounded of the elements, whether they haue life or no.
1666. Boyle, Orig. Formes & Qual. (1667), 57. Those violent Corruptions of Bodies that are made by Outward Agents, shattering them into pieces.
† d. In a more general sense: Destruction, dissolution of the constitution that makes a thing what it is. Obs.
a. 1606. Blundeville, Arte of Logick (1611), 51. Corruption (contrariwise) is a proceeding from a being to a not being, as from an Oke to chips or ashes.
1710. J. Clarke, Rohault’s Nat. Phil. (1729), I. 17. When a Thing is destroyed, or ceases to be what it was before, we call it Corruption; thus we say it is a Corruption of the Wood, when we see the Wood no longer, but only the fire in the Place of it.
1845. J. H. Newman, Ess. Developm., 62. Corruption is a breaking up … or … resolution into its component parts, which involves eventually a loss of unity.
† 2. Infection, infected condition; also fig. contagion, taint. Obs.
c. 1430. Lydg., in Turner, Dom. Archit., III. 39. Whereby the towne was utterly assured From endengerynge of all corupcion, From wycked ayre & from inffexion.
1598. trans. Linschoten’s Voy., in Arb., Garner, III. 14. Through the change of air and the corruption of the country, I fell sick.
b. Law. Corruption of blood: the effect of an attainder upon a person attainted, by which his blood was held to have become tainted or ‘corrupted’ by his crime, so that he and his descendants lost all rights of rank and title; in consequence of which he could no longer retain possession of land which he held, nor leave it to heirs, nor could his descendants inherit from him.
1563. Act 5 Eliz., c. 1. This Act … shall not extend to make any corruption of blood.
1610. Guillim, Heraldry, I. viii. (1660), 47. More over that they shall sustain corruption of their blood and family.
1721. Lond. Gaz., No. 5927/11. No Attainder … shall extend to work any Corruption of Blood.
1769. Blackstone, Comm., IV. 381. It is to be hoped, that this corruption of blood, with all it’s connected consequences, not only of present escheat, but of future incapacities of inheritance even to the twentieth generation, may … be abolished by act of parliament.
1813. Sir S. Romilly, in Examiner, 21 Feb., 117/2. The next thing to which he objected, was the corruption of blood, which was a very different thing from the usual cases of forfeiture.
1862. Ld. Brougham, Brit. Const., App. ii. 414. In the United States … an attainder does not work corruption of blood.
3. concr. Decomposed or putrid matter, esp. in a sore, boil, etc.; pus. Obs. exc. dial.
1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 240 b. With a shell … he scraped ye stynkyng fylth & corrupcyon of her deed body.
1580. Baret, Alv., C 1319. Matter, or corruption comming out of a wound or sore, pus.
1688. R. Holme, Armoury, III. 324/2. Hooked … Instruments … termed Drawers are to scrape out Corruption in a Wound or Bruize.
1888. Peacock, N. W. Linc. Gloss., s.v., All blud and corruption.
fig. 1595. Shaks., John, IV. ii. 81. When it breakes, I feare will issue thence The foule corruption of a sweet childes death. Ibid. (1597), 2 Hen. IV., III. i. 77. That foule Sinne gathering head, Shall breake into Corruption.
1642. Rogers, Naaman, 263. True humblenesse … lyes open brested to receive every point of Gods weapon, to let out her corruption.
II. Moral.
4. A making or becoming morally corrupt; the fact or condition of being corrupt; moral deterioration or decay; depravity.
c. 1340. Cursor M. (Fairf.), 1553 (heading). Þe corrupcioun of þe lande ofter synne.
1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 10. That is it that preserueth mannes soule from spirituall corrupcyon of synne.
1592. Davies, Immort. Soul, VIII. xxi. As from Adam, all Corruption take.
1711. Steele, Spect., No. 107, ¶ 1. The general Corruption of Manners in Servants is owing to the Conduct of Masters.
1849–50. Alison, Hist. Europe, I. ii. § 50. 168. Have the arts and sciences contributed to the corruption or purification of morals?
1856. Froude, Hist. Eng. (1858), I. ii. 172. The clergy as a body were paralysed by corruption.
1874. Green, Short Hist., viii. 476. The blow at the corruption of the Court which followed was of a far more serious order.
b. (with a and pl.)
a. 1340. Hampole, Pr. Consc., 4953. And clense it of al manere of syn, And of alle corrupcions, bath hegh and law.
1605. Bp. Hall, Medit. & Vows, I. § 16. My progresse so small, and insensible; my corruptions so strong.
1684. Bunyan, Pilgr., II. 137. The young Man had strong Corruptions to grapple with.
1727. Swift, Gulliver, Pref. Let. Some corruptions of my Yahoo nature have revived in me.
c. Corrupting influence or agency.
a. 1340. Hampole, Psalter Prol. 3. Þe whilk waxis noght soure thurgh þe corupciouns of þis warld.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Pars. T., ¶ 825. Right so is a wikked prest corrupcioun ynough for al a parisch.
1813. Byron, Br. Abydos, II. xx. How oft the heart Corruption shakes which perils could not part!
1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), V. 124. The love of money is the corruption of states.
5. Evil nature, ‘the old Adam’; anger, ‘temper.’ Now colloq. or dial.
1799. C. Winter, Lett., in W. Jay, Mem. (1843), 36. His corruptions were roused by the report.
1829. J. Wilson, in Blackw. Mag., XXV. 545. Fling doon the Stannard—if you dinna, it ’ll be waur for you, for you’ve raised my corruption.
1830. Galt, Lawrie T., V. xii. (1849), 247. ‘Let alone my goods, and not handle them in that manner,’ exclaimed I, for my corruption was rising.
1848. A. Brontë, Ten. Wildfell Hall, xxxi. I am no angel, and my corruption rises against it.
6. Perversion or destruction of integrity in the discharge of public duties by bribery or favor; the use or existence of corrupt practices, esp. in a state, public corporation, etc.
c. 1425. Wyntoun, Cron., VII. viii. 703. Quhat for corruptyown and inwy, Thare charge þai dyd nocht detfully.
1494. Act 11 Hen. VII., c. 21. If any of the petit Jury toke … any some of money … after any suche corrupcion by the Graund Jury founden [etc.].
1570–6. Lambarde, Peramb. Kent (1826), 141. Guy … escaped soon after by corruption of his keepers.
a. 1600. Hooker, Eccl. Pol., VII. xxiv. § 8. Simoniacal corruption I may not for honours sake suspect.
1651. Hobbes, Leviath., II. xxvi. 144. The frequent corruption and partiality of Judges.
1769. Junius Lett., i. (1804), I. 13. It is not sufficient … that judges are superior to the vileness of pecuniary corruption.
1827. Hallam, Const. Hist. (1876), II. xii. 398. The real vice of this parliament was not intemperance, but corruption.
1880. McCarthy, Own Times, IV. lix. 316. The ballot has not extinguished corruption in small boroughs.
† b. A case or instance of corrupt practice. Obs.
1621. Elsing, Debates Ho. Lords (Camden), 14. The corrupcion wherewith the L. Chancellor was charged, viz., twenty-three severall corrupcions proved by wytnesses.
III. The perversion of anything from an original state of purity.
† 7. Despoiling of virginity, violation of chastity.
1340. Ayenb., 227. Maydenhod … to loki al hare lyf hare bodyes yholliche wyþoute enye corrupcion.
c. 1420. Metr. St. Kath., 120 (Horstm.). Thou schewest here a false reson, Woman withowt corrupcyon Never ȝyt chylde ne bare.
8. The perversion of an institution, custom, etc., from its primitive purity; an instance of this perversion.
1656. J. Harrington, Oceana (1700), 38. The Corruption then of Monarchy is call’d Tyranny.
1661. Bramhall, Just Vind., ii. 10. They who first separated themselves from the primitive pure Church, and brought in corruptions in faith, practise, Liturgy, [etc.].
1776. Johnson, 5 April, in Boswell. Afterwards there were gross corruptions introduced by the clergy, such as indulgences to priests to have concubines.
1867. Smiles, Huguenots Eng., iii. (1880), 45. The Huguenots … denounced the corruptions of the Church, and demanded their reform.
1878. Morley, Carlyle, Crit. Misc. Ser. I. 201. To judge a system in its corruption.
9. Change of language, a text, word, etc., from its correct or original condition to one of incorrectness, deterioration, etc.
1494. Fabyan, Chron., II. xlvii. 31. It was called Caerlud or Luddys towne: and after by corrupcyon, or shortyng of the speche, it was named London.
1599. Thynne, Animadv. (1865), 6. Of necessytye, bothe in matter, myter, and meaninge, yt [Chaucer’s text] must needes gather corruptione, passinge throughe so manye handes.
1634. Ford, P. Warbeck, I. iii. Tell me … is it [the writing] a sure intelligence of all the progress of our enemies’ intents Without corruption?
1679. Plot, Staffordsh. (1686), 417. It was ever after call’d Wulfrunes-Hampton, since by corruption of speech Wolverhampton.
1710. Swift, Tatler, No. 230, ¶ 3. The continual Corruption of our English Tongue.
1862. Rawlinson, Anc. Mon., I. viii. 215. His numbers having suffered corruption during their passage through so many hands.
1861. Max Müller, Sc. Lang., I. ii. (1880), 47. By phonetic corruption … not only the form, but the whole nature of language is destroyed.
b. A concrete instance of such alteration.
1699. Bentley, Phal., xi. 228. As for the two other names, Aristodolium and Archebolion; the former is a manifest Corruption.
1711. Steele, Spect., No. 80, ¶ 9. I am not against reforming the Corruptions of Speech you mention.
1751. Johnson, Rambler, No 177, ¶ 9. A copy … by the help of which, the text might be freed from several corruptions.
1856. Stanley, Sinai & Pal. (1858), v. 233. ‘Nâblus’ being the corruption of ‘Neapolis.’
