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.
例文
3 / 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.
語族
覚え方のコツ
Think of a 'black' (secret or dark) 'mail' (letter). It's a dark letter sent to scare someone into giving you what you want.
クイックテスト
The criminal tried to ________ the actor by threatening to leak his private messages to the press.
正解！
正解は： blackmail
例文
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.
語族
よく使う組み合わせ
よく使うフレーズ
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
よく混同される語
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.
使い方のコツ
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'.
よくある間違い
Learners often forget the preposition 'into' when used with a verb (e.g., 'blackmail him into signing' is correct, not 'blackmail him to sign').
覚え方のコツ
Think of a 'black' (secret or dark) 'mail' (letter). It's a dark letter sent to scare someone into giving you what you want.
語源
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).
文法パターン
文化的な背景
Blackmail is a classic plot device in English literature and detective noir, often used to create tension in mystery novels.
クイックテスト
The criminal tried to ________ the actor by threatening to leak his private messages to the press.
正解！
正解は： blackmail
関連単語
to
A1Used to indicate the place, person, or thing that someone or something moves toward. It can also mark the recipient of an action or the limit of a range.
and
A1A primary conjunction used to connect words, phrases, or clauses that are grammatically equal. It indicates addition, a sequence of events, or a relationship between two things.
a
A1A word used before a singular noun that is not specific or is being mentioned for the first time. It is used only before words that begin with a consonant sound to indicate one of something.
that
A1This word is a demonstrative pronoun used to indicate a specific person, object, or idea that is further away in space or time from the speaker. It is also used to refer back to something that has already been mentioned or to introduce a clause that identifies something.
I
A1The pronoun 'I' is used by a speaker or writer to refer to themselves as the subject of a verb. It is the first-person singular subject pronoun in English and is always capitalized regardless of its position in a sentence.
for
A1Used to show who is intended to have or use something, or to explain the purpose or reason for an action. It is also frequently used to indicate a specific duration of time.
not
A1A function word used to express negation or denial. It is primarily used to make a sentence or phrase negative, often following an auxiliary verb or the verb 'to be'.
with
A1A preposition used to indicate that people or things are together, in the same place, or performing an action together. It can also describe the instrument used to perform an action or a characteristic that someone or something has.
he
A1A pronoun used to refer to a male person or animal that has already been mentioned or is easily identified. It functions as the subject of a sentence.
you
A1Used to refer to the person or people that the speaker is addressing. It is the second-person pronoun used for both singular and plural subjects and objects.
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