to hypothecate
- verb
- /haɪˈpɑːθɪkeɪt/
- Specialized
- In order to borrow funds, they decided to hypothecate their house for security.
Examples
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Homeowners can hypothecate their property to secure a loan while still retaining ownership.
-
The AG, whoever it is, cannot prosecute Corzine for fraud because the customer deposits were legally hypothecated and rehypothecated to JP Morgan.
Blog text (5) -
In light of the teachings of the modern popes and the Second Vatican Council on the dignity of the human person, it is morally unthinkable that one person be allowed to buy, sell, hypothecate, or lease another or dispose of that person's children.
Academic text (1993) -
"The amendment exempted repos (and hypothecated and re-hypothecated assets) and a whole range of derivatives from the automatic stay...."
Blog text (5) -
She chose to hypothecate her car as collateral for the bank loan without selling it.
Synonyms
To give a house to a bank so the bank can take it if you do not pay
To use something valuable as security for a loan
Give something valuable to a pawnshop to get money
Surface Forms
Morphology
hypothecate = hypothec (opaque) = hypothec + ate
The verb is formed with the productive verb-forming suffix '-ate' on an uncommon combining stem 'hypothec' that is not a familiar standalone English word, so learners cannot reliably derive the meaning.
Etymology
Hypothecate comes from Greek parts hypo- 'under' and theke 'a place' or 'deposit'. So to hypothecate property is to 'place it under' a loan, meaning you keep the property but make it security for the debt.