Hush Money – Meaning, Origin, Examples & IELTS Usage

Using idioms effectively in IELTS Speaking and Writing can make your responses sound more natural and fluent. The idiom “Hush Money” is perfect for describing situations where money is offered to conceal wrongdoing or illegal activities. This blog explains its meaning, origin, provides examples, exercises, and a sample IELTS Speaking answer to help you use it confidently.

Meaning of Hush Money

Definition: Money offered to someone to keep them silent about illegal, unethical, or embarrassing activities.
Example Explanation: When someone is given “hush money,” it is intended to prevent them from revealing secrets, wrongdoing, or misconduct.

Origin / History

The idiom dates back to the early 17th century and was first recorded in 1709 by Sir Richard Steele, an Irish playwright and politician, in his publication The Tatler. The word “hush” originates from Middle English “husht”, meaning silent. The term has been used in modern contexts as well, appearing in news articles as recently as 2018.

Idiom Scenarios

Scenario 1:
Friend 1: Did you hear the news? The new party has won with a thumping majority.
Friend 2: How did they manage to win? They didn’t campaign well.
Friend 1: Oh! God! They paid hush money to the public.
Friend 2: Oh! I see.

Scenario 2:
Jack: How did Olivia manage to acquire a role in the play? She has poor acting skills.
Jane: She paid hush money to the director of the play.

Scenario 3:
Secretary: The new cyclone has caused massive damage. I want reports on why it was not detected earlier.
Assistant: I did investigate, ma’am.
Secretary: So, what happened?
Assistant: The meteorological department was paid hush money by our allies to remain silent on the issue.
Secretary: I’m going to take serious action against those found guilty.

Examples of “Hush Money”

1. The collector was offered hush money by the businessman to allow construction on protected wetlands.
2. The judge was found guilty of accepting hush money in the case.
3. The witness was offered hush money to lie in court.
4. Politicians were accused of taking hush money to cover up the scandal.
5. He refused the hush money and reported the corruption to the authorities.

Usage of “Hush Money” in IELTS Speaking

Here are some natural sentences using this idiom:

• “The company tried to cover up the accident by offering hush money to the employees.”
• “In many corruption cases, officials are bribed with hush money to remain silent.”
• “The journalist refused the hush money and exposed the truth to the public.”

Pro Tip: Use this idiom in IELTS Speaking Part 2 or Part 3 when talking about corruption, bribery, scandals, or unethical practices.

Sample IELTS Speaking Answer Using “Hush Money”

IELTS Speaking Part 2 – Describe a Situation Where Someone Tried to Hide Wrongdoing

Last year, I read about a case where a company tried to build on environmentally protected land. To avoid legal action, the businessman offered hush money to government officials. However, the officials refused the bribe and reported the issue to the authorities. This story impressed me because it showed that integrity and courage can overcome corruption, even when hush money is offered.

Exercises

Exercise 1: Choose the Correct Meaning

Choose the correct meaning of “Hush Money” in each sentence:

1. The witness refused the hush money offered to conceal the crime.
   a) Money given as a reward
   b) Money offered to remain silent
   c) Money given as a fine
2. The politician accepted hush money to hide the scandal.
   a) Bribe to conceal wrongdoing
   b) Bonus for hard work
   c) Charity donation
3. Employees were offered hush money to avoid reporting safety violations.
   a) Incentive to work harder
   b) Payment to remain silent
   c) Reimbursement for expenses

Exercise 2: Complete the Sentences

Fill in the blanks using “hush money”:

1. The businessman tried to cover the scandal by offering ____________ to the officials.
2. The celebrity was rumored to have paid ____________ to the media to avoid a negative story.
3. The whistleblower refused ____________ and reported the corruption.

Answers

Exercise 1:

1. b) Money offered to remain silent
2. a) Bribe to conceal wrongdoing
3. b) Payment to remain silent

Exercise 2:

1. hush money
2. hush money
3. hush money

To summarise, the idiom “Hush Money” is perfect for describing bribery or payments intended to cover up wrongdoing. Using it naturally in IELTS Speaking and Writing can make your responses more expressive and sophisticated. Practise the examples, exercises, and sample answer above to confidently include it in your answers.

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