rake off
Illegal profit share
Rake off means to take a share of profits, often illicitly or as a commission skimmed from a larger sum.
The image is of raking chips toward oneself at a gambling table.
A rake-off is the portion taken: The manager was accused of raking off ten percent of every contract.
The phrase suggests something slightly underhanded, though it can describe legitimate commissions.
Corrupt payment for influence
- graftIllicit political gain
- kickbackIllegal payment for services
- skimmingPassing lightly over
- payolaBribes for airplay
shakedown · backhander · palm-greasing · sweetener · hush money · extortion · sleaze · cronyism
Wrongly take another's assets
- siphonLiquid transfer tube
- skimPass over lightly
- divertCause to change course
- pilferSneak off with trifles
peculate · defraud · purloin · abscond · pocket · filch · misapply · channel
Gain exceeding expenditure
- avariceExcessive desire for riches
- exploitationSelfish use of others
- acquisitivenessDesire to gather wealth
- money-grubbingObsessively seeking wealth
grasping · covetousness · hoarding · mercenary · rapacious · usury · materialism · selfishness
bribery
Corrupt payment for influence
payola · shakedown · backhander · palm-greasing · sweetener · hush money · extortion · sleaze · cronyism · malfeasance
misappropriate
Wrongly take another's assets
pilfer · peculate · defraud · purloin · abscond · pocket · filch · misapply · channel · funnel
profit
Gain exceeding expenditure
- avariceExcessive desire for riches
- exploitationSelfish use of others
- acquisitivenessDesire to gather wealth
money-grubbing · grasping · covetousness · hoarding · mercenary · rapacious · usury · materialism · selfishness · plunder
rake offearned income
Pay from work
fair compensation · salary · legal fee · earn one's keep · taxable earnings