The word "bribes" is spelled with a final -s, despite the fact that the pronunciation of the sound at the end of the word is an unvoiced /z/ sound. This is because "bribe" is a noun that ends with a voiced /b/ sound, and in English, when a word ending with a voiced consonant is pluralized, the final sound is always spelled with an -s. So, while it might seem odd to spell a word that ends with a /z/ sound with an -s, it follows the spelling conventions of the English language.
Bribes refer to illicit payments or offerings made to individuals in positions of power or authority, usually with the intention of influencing their behavior or actions in favor of the person making the bribe.
A bribe can take various forms, such as cash, gifts, favors, or other valuable goods or services. It is often seen as a form of corruption, as it involves using personal gain to manipulate or manipulate others for personal gain. Bribes are generally given to officials, politicians, or any other person who holds a position of power or influence in order to receive certain benefits or favors.
The act of bribery is a serious offense and is illegal in most countries around the world. The acceptance of bribes is considered a breach of trust and is punishable by law. Bribes can have detrimental effects on society, as they undermine fairness, justice, and equality by subverting the proper functioning of institutions and distorting decision-making processes.
Efforts to combat bribery involve implementing and enforcing anti-corruption laws, promoting transparency and accountability in public and private sectors, as well as raising awareness about the negative consequences of bribery. International organizations, such as the United Nations and the World Bank, have also played a significant role in promoting anti-bribery measures and aiding countries in strengthening their legal frameworks to combat corruption.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "bribes" originated from the Middle English term "bribe", which can be traced back to the Old French word "briber" meaning "to beg", "to borrow", or "to extort". The Old French term, in turn, derives from the Frankish word "brīban" meaning "to plunder" or "to rob". Over time, the meaning of "bribe" shifted and came to refer specifically to giving or receiving something of value dishonestly or illegally to influence someone's actions or decisions. The plural form of the word, "bribes", was later derived from the singular form "bribe".