to personate

TO PERSONATE, crim. law. The act of assuming the character of another 
without lawful authority, and, in such character, doing something to his 
prejudice, or to the prejudice of another, without his will or consent. 
     2. The bare fact of personating another for the purpose of fraud, is no 
more than a cheat or misdemeanor at common law, and punishable as such. 2 
East, P. C. 1010; 2 Russ. on Cr. 479. 
     3. By the act of congress of the 30th April, 1790, s. 15, 1 Story's 
Laws U. S. 86, it is enacted, that "if any person shall acknowledge, or 
procure to be acknowledged in any court of the United States, any 
recognizance, bail or judgment, in the name or names of any other person or 
persons not privy or consenting to the same, every such person or persons, 
on conviction thereof, shall be fined not exceeding five thousand dollars, 
or be imprisoned not exceeding seven years, and whipped not exceeding 
thirty-nine stripes, Provided nevertheless. that this act shall not extend 
to the acknowledgment of any judgment or judgments by any attorney or 
attorneys, duly admitted, for any person or persons against whom any such 
judgment or judgments shall be bad or given." Vide, generally, 2 John. Cas. 
293; 16 Vin. Ab. 336; Com. Dig. Action on the case for a deceit, A 3.