Definition of blackmail

blackmailnoun

tống tiền

/ˈblækmeɪl//ˈblækmeɪl/

The word "blackmail" has its origin in Scottish history. In the 14th century, the Blackmail was a type of unpaid labor or service owed by a vassal to their lord. The lord would demand this labor in exchange for protection or land tenure. Over time, the term "blackmail" evolved to refer to the act of extorting money or favors by threat or coercion. In the 16th century, the term gained a new connotation in England, where it referred to the practice of exacting money from Scottish tenants by threat of violence or the destruction of their property. This practice was known as "black rent" or "black mail," as it was often exacted by Scottish nobles who wore black armor. Today, the term "blackmail" is used more broadly to describe any form of extortion or coercion, where one party threatens to disclose secret information or commit an act of violence if their demands are not met.

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the crime of demanding money from a person by threatening to tell somebody else a secret about them

tội đòi tiền một người bằng cách đe dọa tiết lộ bí mật về họ cho người khác

the act of putting pressure on a person or a group to do something they do not want to do, for example by making threats or by making them feel guilty

hành động gây áp lực lên một người hoặc một nhóm để làm điều gì đó mà họ không muốn làm, ví dụ bằng cách đe dọa hoặc khiến họ cảm thấy tội lỗi

Example:
  • emotional/moral blackmail

    tống tiền tình cảm/đạo đức

  • We can’t let them practise this emotional blackmail on us.

    Chúng ta không thể để họ thực hiện hành vi tống tiền tình cảm này đối với chúng ta.

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