jobbery
Low (C2)Formal, primarily journalistic and political discourse.
Definition
Meaning
The corrupt practice of using a public office or position of power for personal gain, especially through the awarding of jobs, contracts, or favours to friends or associates.
Any corrupt transaction or scheming for private advantage, often implying a misuse of official position or influence, but can be extended to similar dishonest scheming in non-governmental contexts.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Refers specifically to corrupt *actions* and the *system* of such corruption, not just to a single act of favouritism. Has strong negative moral and legal connotations.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is historically more established in British political vocabulary, especially referencing 18th-19th century patronage scandals. In American English, 'graft', 'patronage', or 'cronyism' are more common contemporary equivalents.
Connotations
In British usage, it can have a somewhat historical or formal tone. In American usage, it may sound like a Britishism or a deliberately archaic/literary choice.
Frequency
Very rare in contemporary American English; occasional in British journalism and historical/political analysis.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
The [noun] was tainted by jobbery.They engaged in jobbery [to secure contracts].Accusations of jobbery [surrounded the administration].Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[To be] a jobbery of the worst kind”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare, except when discussing public procurement scandals or corporate governance failures involving state actors.
Academic
Used in political science, history, and economics to describe specific forms of institutional corruption.
Everyday
Extremely rare. Would be considered a high-register, specific term.
Technical
Not a technical term in most fields, but has specific meaning in political and historical analysis.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The old system allowed officials to jobbery contracts to their cousins.
- He was accused of jobberying his way into the Lords.
American English
- (Rare; typically use 'to engage in graft/cronyism') The administration was alleged to have jobberied the infrastructure bill.
adverb
British English
- (Virtually non-existent) The positions were filled jobberily.
adjective
British English
- The jobbery practices of the local council were exposed.
- A jobbery scheme was uncovered.
American English
- (Virtually unused) The jobbery contracts were voided by the court.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The minister resigned after allegations of jobbery in the awarding of building permits.
- Historical accounts often describe the 18th century as rife with political jobbery.
- The inquiry revealed a complex web of jobbery, where public appointments were effectively sold to the highest bidder.
- Critics argue that the new procurement law does little to stem the entrenched culture of jobbery within the ministry.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a 'job' being given not on merit, but as a 'berry' to be picked by friends – 'job-berry' – a corrupt harvest of positions.
Conceptual Metaphor
GOVERNMENT IS A MARKETPLACE FOR CORRUPT DEALS; PUBLIC OFFICE IS A PRIVATE COMMODITY.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Не переводить как "работа" или "занятость". Ближе по смыслу: "коррупция", "взяточничество", "кумовство" (особенно в госсекторе). "Jobber" (исторически) – не "работник", а биржевой маклер или человек, занимающийся сомнительными сделками.
Common Mistakes
- Using it as a synonym for any job-related activity. Confusing it with 'jobbing' (doing odd jobs). Misspelling as 'jobery'.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following scenarios BEST illustrates 'jobbery'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Not exactly. Nepotism is favouring relatives. Jobbery is broader, involving the corrupt use of power for personal gain, which can include nepotism, but also favouring friends, political allies, or taking bribes for jobs/contracts.
It is primarily a public-sector term. Using it for corporate corruption (e.g., a CEO hiring unqualified friends) is an extended, metaphorical use and is quite rare. 'Cronyism' or 'favouritism' are more typical in purely corporate settings.
They are close synonyms. 'Graft' is more common in American English and can refer to any form of political corruption, especially bribery. 'Jobbery' often emphasises the corrupt distribution of jobs and contracts specifically.
No, it is a low-frequency, formal word. You will encounter it most often in historical writing, quality journalism, or academic discussions about corruption. In everyday speech, people use simpler terms like 'corruption' or 'favouritism'.
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