pay‧o‧la /peɪˈəʊlə $ -ˈoʊlə/ noun [uncountable] especially American English informal
[Date: 1900-2000; Origin: Probably from payoff]

1. the illegal practice of paying someone to use their influence to make people buy what your company is selling

2. the money that is paid to someone to use their influence

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲