blackmail

(redirected from blackmails)
Also found in: Dictionary, Thesaurus, Legal, Financial, Idioms.

blackmail,

in law, exaction of money from another by threatthreat,
in law, declaration of intent to injure another by doing an unlawful act, with a view to restraining his freedom of action. A threat is distinguishable from an assault, for an assault requires some physical act that appears likely to eventuate in violence, whereas a
..... Click the link for more information.  of exposure of criminal action or of disreputable conduct. The term was originally used for the tribute levied until the 18th cent. upon the inhabitants of the Scottish border to provide immunity from raids by Scottish bands. Statutes often treat blackmail as a form of extortionextortion,
in law, unlawful demanding or receiving by an officer, in his official capacity, of any property or money not legally due to him. Examples include requesting and accepting fees in excess of those allowed to him by statute or arresting a person and, with corrupt
..... Click the link for more information. .

Blackmail

See also Bribery.
Blackness (See NIGHT.)
Blasphemy (See APOSTASY.)
Rigaud
adventurer and extortionist. [Br. Lit.: Little Dorrit]
Rudge
extorts to achieve personal ends. [Br. Lit.: Barnaby Rudge]
Sextus
threatens murder and dishonor to bed Lucretia. [Rom. Lit.: Fasti; Livy; Br. Lit.: The Rape of Lucrece]
Wegg, Silas
attempts to blackmail Boffin. [Br. Lit.: Our Mutual Friend]
Mentioned in ?
References in periodicals archive ?
26) The effect of legalizing blackmail is ambiguous because it would likely increase P but decrease sc.
First, for obvious reasons permitting blackmail would increase P.
Second, blackmail would effectively decrease sc, by replacing it with a lower blackmail price.
Sometimes V will simply lack the wealth to pay a blackmail price equivalent to sc.
Thus, legalizing blackmail appears to increase the likelihood that someone will detect a norm violation, but appears to decrease the costs the violator incurs once his transgression is detected.
Assume that we cannot predict how blackmail changes the expected cost of violating norms.
By rendering impossible the public punishment of a norm violator, blackmail also removes the opportunity for shame and reintegration.
Blackmail Inhibits the Communication Processes That Refine and Reform Inefficient Norms
Blackmail Inhibits Gossip-Based Articulation of Norm Boundaries
58) Blackmail would replace gossip and therefore impede this process of refinement.
The difficulty is determining whether blackmail would suppress gossip below this point.
Blackmail Inhibits Criticism of Dysfunctional Norms
Group norms, gossip, and blackmail

Encyclopedia browser ?
Full browser ?