peculate

peculate
    v 1: appropriate (as property entrusted to one's care)
         fraudulently to one's own use; "The accountant embezzled
         thousands of dollars while working for the wealthy family"
         [syn: {embezzle}, {defalcate}, {peculate},
         {misappropriate}, {malversate}]
    

Peculate \Pec"u*late\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Peculated}; p. pr. &
   vb. n. {Peculating}.] [L. peculatus, p. p. of peculari to
   peculate, akin to peculium private property. See {Peculiar}.]
   To appropriate to one's own use the property of the public;
   to steal public moneys intrusted to one's care; to embezzle.
   [1913 Webster]

         An oppressive, . . . rapacious, and peculating
         despotism.                               --Burke.
   [1913 Webster]
    

23 Moby Thesaurus words for "peculate":
      abuse, befoul, convert, debase, defalcate, defile, desecrate,
      divert, embezzle, foul, maladminister, misapply, misappropriate,
      misemploy, mishandle, mismanage, misuse, pervert, pilfer, pollute,
      profane, prostitute, violate