Meaning of Peculation | Babel Free

Definitions

The wrongful appropriation or embezzlement of shared or public property, usually by a person entrusted with the guardianship of that property.

countable, historical, uncountable

Equivalents

Examples

“[The Chief Magistrate] might pervert his administration into a scheme of peculation or oppression.”

“Sir Pitt Crawley (named after the great Commoner) was the son of Walpole Crawley, first Baronet, of the Tape and Sealing-Wax Office in the reign of George II., when he was impeached for peculation, as were a great number⟳ of other honest gentlemen of those days ...”

“Bulfinch, a solicitor at Redcastle, came to him with irrefragable proofs of gross peculation on the part of the bailiff.”

“She considered herself engaged to be married to a Scotch propaganda officer who had been dismissed for peculation and gone home to sell⟳ cars.”

“It was a feature of Athens’ democratic constitution that at the end⟳ of their year in office Athenian officials had to submit⟳ an account of their service, financial and otherwise, to public scrutiny. Ephialtes took the opportunity to bring⟳ charges of peculation against the outgoing archons who were about to enter⟳ the Areopagus and succeeded in having them removed from that council.”

CEFR level