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to peculate

to peculate

9.9
To steal money or property that someone trusted you to keep
  • verb
  • /ˈpɛkjʊˌleɪt/
  • Formal
translation icon : pecular
  • He was caught trying to peculate funds from the charity.

Examples

  • The auditor warned that anyone who attempted to peculate company assets would face prosecution.

  • It was discovered that the manager had tried to peculate funds from the organization.

  • For years, he managed to peculate small sums from the trust without detection.

  • How could she peculate from her own company?

  • The accountant was found guilty of attempting to peculate large amounts of money from the client's account.

  • After the investigation, it became clear that several employees had been trying to peculate funds from the department.

  • The board was shocked to learn that their trusted treasurer had chosen to peculate donations meant for charity.

Synonyms

to embezzle
vsto peculate
28 8.1

To steal money or things that you were trusted with and use them yourself illegally

describes fraudulent taking of entrusted money or property generally
to misappropriate
vsto peculate
  • Formal
5 8.4

To take money or things you were trusted with and use them yourself

is broader, covering any wrongful taking of entrusted items not only funds
to defalcate
vsto peculate
  • Formal
9.9

To steal money that was given to you to look after

is a broader term for fraudulently taking entrusted money or property
to malversate
vsto peculate
  • NSFW
9.9

To take money that people trust you to keep and use it for yourself

is the generic description of unlawfully taking entrusted assets

Antonyms

231 1.0

An act of giving something back to its owner

63 5.3

To pay back money someone spent for you

Surface Forms

peculate infinitive
peculated past
peculated past participle
peculating present participle
peculates third person singular

Etymology

Peculate comes from Latin words peculium and pecu, which meant 'private property' or 'cattle' because cattle were once a common form of wealth. So, to peculate now means to take money or goods you were trusted with, in other words to 'embezzle' them.