Synonyms and antonyms of Bribery and manipulation in British Thesaurus

be on the take ()

someone in an official position who is on the take is accepting bribes (=money in return for doing something wrong)

blackmail (verb)

to use threats to persuade a person or government to do what you want

bribe (verb)

to give money or presents to someone so that they will help you by doing something dishonest or illegal

bribe (verb)

to promise something to someone, especially a child, if they will agree to do what you want

buy (verb)

informal to give someone something so that they will do something dishonest for you

buy off ()

to pay someone to stop threatening you or blackmailing you

cosy up to ()

to try to become friendly with someone in order to get some benefit for yourself

cultivate (verb)

to develop a friendship or relationship with someone, usually in order to get an advantage from it

everyone has their price ()

used for saying that people will do anything if they are paid enough money or given what they want

flatter (verb)

to praise someone in order to get something that you want, especially in a way that is not sincere

flutter your eyelashes at someone ()

if a woman flutters her eyelashes at a man, she tries to make him think she is attractive by looking at him in a special way

game (verb)

to use your knowledge of the rules to obtain benefits from a situation, especially in an unfair way

hold someone to ransom ()

to try to make someone do what you want, especially by using threats

in the pay of someone ()

working for someone, especially doing something secret and dishonest

keep in with ()

to stay friendly with someone, especially someone who can help you

know which side your bread is buttered (on) ()

to know who to be nice to or what to do in order to gain advantages for yourself

make up to (informal old-fashioned)

informal old-fashioned to behave in a very friendly way towards someone, or to praise them, in order to get something for yourself

manipulate (verb)

to influence someone, or to control something, in a clever or dishonest way

manoeuvre (verb)

to get something that you want by using a clever or dishonest plan

nobble (verb)

Britishvery informal to threaten someone or to pay them money in order to make them do something

pay off ()

to give someone money so that they will do something bad or dishonest for you

pay off ()

to give someone money so that they will not do something that will cause you problems, especially by telling people about something bad that you have done

play both ends against the middle ()

to make two people or groups oppose each other so that you can gain something

play good cop/bad cop (informal)

informal if two people play good cop/bad cop with someone, one is friendly while the other behaves in a threatening way in order to make the person trust the ‘good cop’ and tell them the information they want to know

play off against ()

if you play two people off against each other, you try to cause an argument between them because you think that this will give you more power or control in a situation

play on ()

to use a situation or emotions such as fear or worry in order to get what you want

play the...card ()

to use a particular quality, argument etc in order to gain an advantage

play the system ()

to know how to use the rules of a system in order to get an advantage for yourself

play to the gallery ()

to say what you think people want to hear in order to gain popularity

play up to ()

to behave in a very friendly or polite way to someone because you want them to like you or to do something for you

schmooze (verb)

informal to talk with someone in a friendly and informal way, often with the intention of gaining an advantage or of persuading them to do something that you want

shroud-waving (noun)

British the use of sad or frightening events or figures to draw attention to issues or to get a political advantage

slant (verb)

to give information or ideas in a way that gives more attention or support to a particular person, group, or opinion

soften up ()

to make someone more likely to do what you want by being nice to them

soft-soap (verb)

informal to be nice to someone when you want them to do something for you

sweeten up ()

to be especially nice to someone so that they will agree to something that you want them to agree to

sweet-talk (verb)

informal to talk to someone in a very nice way in order to persuade them to do something

twist (verb)

to change the intended meaning of something slightly so that it means what you want it to mean

work the system ()

to do or get what you want despite the rules that make it difficult