embezzle

== English == === Etymology === From Middle English embesilen, from Anglo-Norman embesiler, embesillier, embeseillier (“to steal, cause to disappear”), from em- + Old French besillier (“to torment, destroy, gouge”), of unknown origin. === Pronunciation === (UK) IPA(key): /ɪmˈbɛz.əl/ (US, Canada) IPA(key): /ɪmˈbɛz.əl/, /ɛmˈbɛz.əl/ (weak vowel merger) IPA(key): /əmˈbɛz.əl/ (Australian) IPA(key): /ɪmˈbez.əl/ Rhymes: -ɛzəl === Verb === 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 the organisation for which one works. ==== Synonyms ==== defalcate have one's hand in the till misappropriate peculate skim ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Translations ==== ==== References ====