Emily Dickinson Lexicon

COR-RUPT', a. [L. corruptus; It. corrotto.]

1. Changed from a sound to a putrid state, as by natural decomposition.
2. Spoiled; tainted; vitiated; unsound; as, corrupt air, or bread. – Knolles.
3. Depraved; vitiated; tainted with wickedness. They are corrupt; they have done abominable works. – Ps xiv. The earth was corrupt before God. – Gen. vi.
4. Debased; rendered impure; changed to a worse state; as, corrupt language.
5. Not genuine; infected with errors or mistakes. The text is corrupt.

COR-RUPT', v.i.

1. To become putrid; to putrefy; to rot. Animal and vegetable substances speedily corrupt in a warm and moist air.
2. To become vitiated; to lose purity.

COR-RUPT', v.t. [L. corruptus, from corrumpo, con and rumpo, for rupo, to break; Fr. corrompre; It. corrompere; Sp. corromper. Class Rb. Literally, to break, separate, or dissolve. Hence,]

1. To change from a sound to a putrid or putrescent state; to separate the component parts of a body, as by a natural process, which is accompanied by a fetid smell.
2. To vitiate or deprave; to change from good to bad. Evil communications corrupt good manners. – 1 Cor. xv.
3. To waste, spoil or consume. Lay not up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt. – Matth. vi.
4. To defile or pollute. – Ex. xxxii.
5. To entice from good and allure to evil. – 2 Cor. xi.
6. To pervert; to break, disobey or make void. – Mal. ii.
7. To pervert or vitiate integrity; to bribe; as, to corrupt a judge.
8. To debase or render impure, by alterations or innovations; as, to corrupt language.
9. To pervert; to falsify; to infect with errors; as, to corrupt the sacred text.

COR-RUPT'ED, pp.

Putrefied; vitiated; depraved; spoiled; marred; bribed; infected with errors.

COR-RUPT'ER, n.

1. One who corrupts; one who vitiates, or taints; as, a corrupter of morals, or of Christianity.
2. One who bribes; that which depraves or destroys integrity.
3. One who introduces errors.

COR-RUPT-I-BIL'ITY, n.

The possibility of being corrupted.

COR-RUPT'I-BLE, a. [Fr. corruptible; It. corruttibile.]

1. That may be corrupted; that may become putrid; subject to decay and destruction. Our bodies are corruptible.
2. That may be vitiated in qualities or principles; susceptible of depravation. Manners are corruptible by evil example.

COR-RUPT'I-BLE, n.

That which may decay and perish; the human body. This corruptible must put on incorruption. 1 Cor. xv.

COR-RUPT'I-BLE-NESS, n.

Susceptibility of corruption; corruptibility.

COR-RUPT'I-BLY, adv.

In such a manner as to be corrupted or vitiated.

COR-RUPT'ING, a.

Fitted or tending to deprave.

COR-RUPT'ING, ppr.

Putrefying; depraving; vitiating.

COR-RUP'TION, n. [L. corruptio.]

1. The act of corrupting, or state of being corrupt or putrid; the destruction of the natural form of bodies, by the separation of the component parts, or by disorganization, in the process of putrefaction. Thou wilt not suffer thy Holy One to see corruption. Ps. xvi.
2. Putrid matter; pus.
3. Putrescence; a foul state occasioned by putrefaction.
4. Depravity; wickedness; perversion or deterioration of moral principles; loss of purity or integrity. Having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 2 Pet. i. Corruption in elections is the great enemy of freedom. – J. Adams.
5. Debasement; taint; or tendency to a worse state. Keep my honor from corruption. – Shak.
6. Impurity; depravation; debasement; as, a corruption of language.
7. Bribery. He obtained his suit by corruption.
8. In law, taint: impurity of blood, in consequence of an act of attainder of treason or felony, by which a person is disabled to inherit lands from an ancestor, nor can retain those in his possession, nor transmit them by descent to his heirs. Corruption of blood can be removed only by act of parliament. – Blackstone.

COR-RUPT'IVE, a.

Having the quality of corrupting, tainting, or vitiating. It should be endued with some corruptive quality. – Ray.

COR-RUPT'LESS, a.

Not susceptible of corruption or decay. – Dryden.

COR-RUPT'LY, adv.

1. In a corrupt manner; with corruption; viciously; wickedly; without integrity. We have dealt very corruptly against thee. – Neh. i.
2. By bribery. A judgment was obtained corruptly.

COR-RUPT'NESS, n.

1. The state of being corrupt; putrid state or putrescence.
2. A state of moral impurity; as, the corruptness of a judge.
3. A vicious state; debasement; impurity; as, the corruptness of language.

COR-RUPT'RESS, a.

A female that corrupts others. – Beaum.

COR'SAIR, n. [Fr. corsaire; Sp. corsario, a cruising by a privateer; corsear, to cruise; It. corsare, a pirate, from corso, a course or career, L. cursus, from curro, to run.]

A pirate; one who cruises or scours the ocean, with an armed vessel, without a commission from any prince or state, to seize and plunder merchantmen.

COR'SAK, n.

A species of fox. – Pennant.

CORSE, n. [cors; Fr. corps; – L. corpus.]

A corpse; the dead body of a human being; a poetical word. – Addison.

CORSE'-EN-CUM'BER-ED, a.

Loaded with dead bodies; as, the corse-encumbered plains. – Barlow.

CORSE'LET, n. [cors'let; Fr. corselet; It. corsaletto; from corse.]

1. A little cuirass, or an armor to cover the body for protection, worn formerly by pike-men. Encyc.
2. That part of a winged insect which answers to the breast of other animals.

CORSE'LET, v.t. [cors'let.]

To encircle with a corselet. – Beaum.

CORSE'-PRES-ENT, n.

A mortuary or present paid at the interment of a dead body. – Blackstone.