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| n. Information that will damage, undermine, or discredit the reputation of a politician or other public figure, thereby allowing anyone who has knowledge of this information to manipulate, blackmail, or demand loyalty from that person. [Russian, from kompro(metiruyushchiĭ) mat(erial), compromising material : komprometiruyushchiĭ, compromising, active present participle of komprometirovat', to compromise (from French compromettre, compromett-, from Middle French, to submit (and possibly thereby expose oneself to a prejudicial judgment or the need for concessions), from Old French, to accept arbitration, from Latin comprōmittere, to promise mutually (as to abide by the decision of an arbiter); see COMPROMISE + Russian -irovat', suffix forming verbs from loanwords) + material, material (ultimately, via German Material or Dutch materiaal, from Late Latin māteriālis, consisting of matter, material; see MATERIAL).] |
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