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euqinimod
03/05/10, 01:54 PM
baksheesh (BAK-sheesh)

noun: A payment, such as a tip or bribe.

Etymology
From Persian bakhshish, from bakhshidan, from baksh (to give).

Usage
"A certain favoritism, even in the absence of baksheesh-pocketing headwaiters, is indispensable to restaurants that expect to maintain a steady clientele -- especially in New York, where every other big shot seems to demand the 'best' table and, instead of something fabulous to eat, a custom-baked potato." — Thomas McNamee; The Joy of Cooking; The New York Times Book Review; Jun 23, 2002.

"About 130 officials were fired for taking baksheesh, and the volume of tariff revenue that actually reached state coffers jumped by almost 50% in two years." — Maturing Mozambique; The Economist (London, UK); Dec 4, 1999.



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