Defalcate — De*fal cate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Defalcated}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Defalcating}.] [LL. defalcatus, p. p. of defalcare to deduct, orig., to cut off with a sickle; L. de + falx, falcis, a sickle. See {Falchion}.] To cut off; to take away or deduct a… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Defalcate — De*fal cate, v. i. To commit defalcation; to embezzle money held in trust. Some partner defalcating, or the like. Carlyle. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
defalcate — 1530s, to lop off, from M.L. defalcatus, pp. of defalcare (see DEFALCATION (Cf. defalcation)). Modern scientific use dates from 1808 … Etymology dictionary
defalcate — [dē fal′kāt΄, dēfôl′kāt΄, di fal′kāt, difôl′kāt] vi. defalcated, defalcating [< ML defalcatus, pp. of defalcare, to cut off: see DE & FALCATE] to steal or misuse funds entrusted to one s care; embezzle defalcator n … English World dictionary
defalcate — defalcation UK US /ˌdiːfælˈkeɪʃən/ noun [U] ► LAW the taking or illegal use of money by someone who has responsibility for it, such as a company or government official: »Our office represents title insurance agents and others accused of… … Financial and business terms
defalcate — [15] Defalcate comes from medieval Latin dēfalcāre ‘cut off’, a compound verb formed from the prefix dē ‘off’ and falx ‘sickle’ (source of French faux ‘scythe’). At first it meant simply ‘deduct’ in English; the modern legal sense ‘embezzle’ did… … The Hutchinson dictionary of word origins
defalcate — [15] Defalcate comes from medieval Latin dēfalcāre ‘cut off’, a compound verb formed from the prefix dē ‘off’ and falx ‘sickle’ (source of French faux ‘scythe’). At first it meant simply ‘deduct’ in English; the modern legal sense ‘embezzle’ did… … Word origins
defalcate — verb ( cated; cating) Etymology: Medieval Latin defalcatus, past participle of defalcare, from Latin de + falc , falx sickle Date: 1541 transitive verb archaic deduct, curtail intransitive verb to engage in … New Collegiate Dictionary
defalcate — defalcator, n. /di fal kayt, fawl /, v.i., defalcated, defalcating. Law. to be guilty of defalcation. [1530 40; < ML defalcatus (ptp. of defalcare to cut off), equiv. to de DE + falcatus; see FALCATE] * * * … Universalium
defalcate — verb To misappropriate funds; to embezzle. See Also: falcate … Wiktionary
