Blood money

The earliest meaning of blood money – dating back to 1535 – is money paid to an informer, one who gives testimony leading to the conviction of another. In this sense it could be said that the pieces of silver paid to Judas to betray Jesus were the very first blood money. Blood money is also used to describe the money paid to the next of kin of a person murdered, especially such sums in the form of pensions paid to policemen or servicemen killed in the line of duty. In the underworld the expression describes the sum paid to a hired killer.