What is "corruption of blood"

Corruption \Cor*rup"tion\ (k?r-r?p"sh?n), n. [F. corruption, L. corruptio.]

1. The act of corrupting or making putrid, or state of being corrupt or putrid; decomposition or disorganization, in the process of putrefaction; putrefaction; deterioration.

   The inducing and accelerating of putrefaction is a subject of very universal inquiry; for corruption is a reciprocal to ``generation''.
   --Bacon.

2. The product of corruption; putrid matter.

3. The act of corrupting or of impairing integrity, virtue, or moral principle; the state of being corrupted or debased; loss of purity or integrity; depravity; wickedness; impurity; bribery.

   It was necessary, by exposing the gross corruptions of monasteries, . . . to exite popular indignation against them.
   --Hallam.

   They abstained from some of the worst methods of corruption usual to their party in its earlier days.
   --Bancroft.

   Note: Corruption, when applied to officers, trustees, etc., signifies the inducing a violation of duty by means of pecuniary considerations.
   --Abbott.

4. The act of changing, or of being changed, for the worse; departure from what is pure, simple, or correct; as, a corruption of style; corruption in language.

   Corruption of blood (Law), taint or impurity of blood, in consequence of an act of attainder of treason or felony, by which a person is disabled from inheriting any estate or from transmitting it to others.

   Corruption of blood can be removed only by act of Parliament.
   --Blackstone.

   Syn: Putrescence; putrefaction; defilement; contamination; deprivation; debasement; adulteration; depravity; taint. See Depravity.

n. (context legal English) The doctrine in English common law that someone attainder of felony or treason has corrupt blood and so cannot inherit property and has no legal heirs.

Corruption of Blood may refer to:

• Corruption of Blood, a 1994 crime novel by Michael Gruber (author) / Robert K. Tanenbaum
• Attainder#Corruption of blood, a concept in English criminal law