Word of the Day 4.17.09
peculate
pec·u·late (p
k
y
-l
t
)
tr. & intr.v. pec·u·lat·ed, pec·u·lat·ing, pec·u·lates
To embezzle (funds) or engage in embezzlement.
[Latin pec
lr
, peclt-, from peclium, private property; see peku- in Indo-European roots.]
pecu·lation n.
pecu·lator n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2003. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
| Verb | 1. | peculate – appropriate (as property entrusted to one’s care) fraudulently to one’s own use; “The accountant embezzled thousands of dollars while working for the wealthy family”
fiddle – commit fraud and steal from one’s employer; “We found out that she had been fiddling for years”
steal – take without the owner’s consent; “Someone stole my wallet on the train”; “This author stole entire paragraphs from my dissertation”
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Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2008 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
