BLACKMAIL

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does blackmail mean? 

• BLACKMAIL (noun)
  The noun BLACKMAIL has 1 sense:

1. extortion of money by threats to divulge discrediting information

  Familiarity information: BLACKMAIL used as a noun is very rare.

• BLACKMAIL (verb)
  The verb BLACKMAIL has 2 senses:

1. exert pressure on someone through threats

2. obtain through threats

  Familiarity information: BLACKMAIL used as a verb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• BLACKMAIL (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Extortion of money by threats to divulge discrediting information

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("blackmail" is a kind of...):

extortion (the felonious act of extorting money (as by threats of violence))

Derivation:

blackmail (obtain through threats)

blackmail (exert pressure on someone through threats)

• BLACKMAIL (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they blackmail    ... he / she / it blackmails   
Past simple: blackmailed   
Past participle: blackmailed   
-ing form: blackmailing   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Exert pressure on someone through threats

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

blackjack; blackmail; pressure

Hypernyms (to "blackmail" is one way to...):

act upon; influence; work (have and exert influence or effect)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Sentence example:

They blackmail him to write the letter

Derivation:

blackmail (extortion of money by threats to divulge discrediting information)

blackmailer (a criminal who extorts money from someone by threatening to expose embarrassing information about them)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Obtain through threats

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Hypernyms (to "blackmail" is one way to...):

extort (obtain through intimidation)

Domain category:

crime; criminal offence; criminal offense; law-breaking ((criminal law) an act punishable by law; usually considered an evil act)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

blackmail (extortion of money by threats to divulge discrediting information)

blackmailer (a criminal who extorts money from someone by threatening to expose embarrassing information about them)

 Context examples 

The funds of the society were raised by blackmailing rich Italians and threatening them with violence should they refuse the money.

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Blackmail, I suppose; an honest man paying through the nose for some of the capers of his youth.

(The Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

Then I remembered that Fordingbridge was in Hampshire, and that this Mr. Beddoes, whom the seaman had gone to visit and presumably to blackmail, had also been mentioned as living in Hampshire.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

If ever he blackmailed an innocent person, then indeed we should have him, but he is as cunning as the Evil One.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

If this young person should produce her letters for blackmailing or other purposes, how is she to prove their authenticity?

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Could the good people who were her companions not screen her from his violence or his blackmail?

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

He is known to have held papers which he used for blackmailing purposes.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

There’s blackmail in it, or I am much mistaken.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

It seems that William had secretly followed his two masters on the night when they made their raid upon Mr. Acton’s, and having thus got them into his power, proceeded, under threats of exposure, to levy blackmail upon them.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)