blackmail
To demand money, favors, or specific actions from someone by threatening to reveal embarrassing or damaging information about them. It involves using a person's secrets or weaknesses as a way to coerce them into compliance.
أمثلة
3 من 5He tried to blackmail his sister into doing his chores by threatening to tell their parents she stayed out late.
He attempted to force his sister to do his work by using a secret against her.
The defendant was accused of attempting to blackmail a high-ranking government official for political gain.
The person on trial was charged with trying to coerce a politician using damaging information.
You can't blackmail me with that old photo; everyone already knows about it!
You cannot use that photo to threaten me because it is no longer a secret.
عائلة الكلمة
نصيحة للحفظ
Think of a 'black' (secret or dark) 'mail' (letter). It's a dark letter sent to scare someone into giving you what you want.
اختبار سريع
The criminal tried to ________ the actor by threatening to leak his private messages to the press.
صحيح!
الإجابة الصحيحة هي: blackmail
أمثلة
He tried to blackmail his sister into doing his chores by threatening to tell their parents she stayed out late.
everydayHe attempted to force his sister to do his work by using a secret against her.
The defendant was accused of attempting to blackmail a high-ranking government official for political gain.
formalThe person on trial was charged with trying to coerce a politician using damaging information.
You can't blackmail me with that old photo; everyone already knows about it!
informalYou cannot use that photo to threaten me because it is no longer a secret.
Legal scholars argue that blackmail is a unique crime because it often involves the threat of doing something otherwise legal, like telling the truth.
academicAcademic experts discuss why blackmail is complex, as it involves threatening to reveal facts.
The company refused to be blackmailed by the hackers who had stolen their customer database.
businessThe business would not give in to the demands of the criminals who stole their data.
عائلة الكلمة
تلازمات شائعة
العبارات الشائعة
moral blackmail
forcing someone to do something by making them feel guilty
cyber blackmail
using digital data or photos to extort someone
levy blackmail
to demand a payment through threats
يُخلط عادةً مع
Extortion is a broader term often involving physical force or official authority; blackmail specifically uses the threat of revealing secrets.
Bribery involves offering a benefit to influence someone, whereas blackmail involves a threat to cause harm.
ملاحظات الاستخدام
The word functions as both a verb and a noun. While it is a serious legal charge, it is also used colloquially to describe interpersonal manipulation, such as 'emotional blackmail'.
أخطاء شائعة
Learners often forget the preposition 'into' when used with a verb (e.g., 'blackmail him into signing' is correct, not 'blackmail him to sign').
نصيحة للحفظ
Think of a 'black' (secret or dark) 'mail' (letter). It's a dark letter sent to scare someone into giving you what you want.
أصل الكلمة
Derived from the 16th-century Scottish word 'mail' (rent/tax), where 'black' referred to payment made in labor or goods rather than 'white' money (silver).
أنماط نحوية
السياق الثقافي
Blackmail is a classic plot device in English literature and detective noir, often used to create tension in mystery novels.
اختبار سريع
The criminal tried to ________ the actor by threatening to leak his private messages to the press.
صحيح!
الإجابة الصحيحة هي: blackmail
كلمات ذات صلة
unknown
A1A person or thing that is not known, recognized, or familiar. It often refers to a mysterious situation or a person who has not yet achieved fame or success.
of
A1A preposition used to show a relationship between a part and a whole, or to indicate belonging and origin. It connects a noun or pronoun to another part of the sentence to specify which one or what kind.
in
A1A preposition used to indicate position within a container, a space, an area, or a period of time. It describes being surrounded by something or being inside the boundaries of a location.
it
A1A third-person singular pronoun used to refer to an object, animal, or situation that has already been mentioned or is clear from context. It is also frequently used as a dummy subject to talk about time, weather, or distance.
on
A1A preposition used to indicate that something is in a position above and supported by a surface. It is also used to indicate a specific day or date, or to show that a device is functioning.
as
A1A conjunction used to compare two things that are equal in some way. It is most commonly used in the pattern 'as + adjective/adverb + as' to show similarity.
this
A1Used to identify a specific person, thing, or idea that is physically close to the speaker or has just been mentioned. It can also refer to the present time or a situation that is currently happening.
by
A1A preposition used to show the method or means of doing something, or to identify the person or thing that performs an action. It frequently appears in passive sentences to indicate the agent or before modes of transport.
we
A1The word 'we' is a first-person plural pronoun used to refer to the speaker and one or more other people collectively. It is used as the subject of a sentence or clause.
or
A1A coordinating conjunction used to connect two or more possibilities or alternatives. it indicates that only one of the options is likely, required, or true.
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