Meaning
To steal or misappropriate money that one has been trusted with, especially to steal money from the organisation for which one works.
Etymology
Origin: Middle English
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.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms
defalcatehave one's hand in the tillmisappropriatepeculateskimmalversateabstractabuseannexappropriate
NYT Puzzle Appearances
Accepted in 1 recorded puzzle: