Legal Dictionary

embezzle

Legal Definition of embezzle

Verb

The illegal transfer of money or property that, although possessed legally by the embezzler, is diverted to the embezzler personally by his or her fraudulent action.

Example: An employee would embezzle money from the employer or a public officer could embezzle money received during the course of their public duties and secretly convert it to their personal use

Definition of embezzle

Etymology

embesiler

besillier

Pronunciation

(US) IPA: /əmˈbɛzəl/
Rhymes: -ɛzəl

Verb

to embezzle (third-person singular simple present embezzles, present participle embezzling, simple past and past participle embezzled)

(law, business) To steal or misappropriate money that one has been trusted with, especially to steal money from one's employer.

* 1903, H.G. Wells, Twelve Stories and a Dream
You waste your education in burglary. You should do one of two things. Either you should forge or you should embezzle. For my own part, I embezzle.

* 1861, George Eliot, Silas Marner
You let Dunsey have it, sir? And how long have you been so thick with Dunsey that you must collogue with him to embezzle my money?

Derived terms

embezzler
embezzlement

References:

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