encroach

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The colonialists encroach, and after them the soldiers rush to the border.

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Definitions (12)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (3)

  1. intransitive verb To take another's possessions or rights gradually or stealthily: encroach on a neighbor's land.
  2. intransitive verb To advance beyond proper or former limits: desert encroaching upon grassland.
  3. intransitive verb Football To commit encroachment.

Toggle Century definitions Century Dictionary (5)

Toggle GNU Webster definitions GNU Webster's 1913 (2)

Toggle WordNet definitions WordNet (2)

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Examples (50)

  • "But if the lake monster should encroach-" she said "It iv an enchanted path, iv it not?" —  Vale of the Vole
  • As he watched the shadows encroach, a frightening sight took shape in the center of the vortex. —  Witch Gate.htm
  • Most Dutch rarely mix with the Islamic population, fearing Islam will encroach upon the traditional values of Dutch identity.
  • Laws were created so people wouldn't encroach on the rights of others.
  • TiVo's newest form of advertising, which debuted a few months back on Series 2 units, has now begun to encroach on the Series 3 / TiVoHD platform. —  MyLinkVault Newest Links
 

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This word has been looked up 124 times.

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Etymologies (3)

Toggle American Heritage etymologies American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. Middle English encrochen, to seize illegally, from Old French encrochier, to seize : en-, in; see en-1 + croc, hook (of Germanic origin).

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (2)

  1. Formerly also incroach; from Middle English encrochen, from Old French encrochier, encrocher, encrocier, encroquier, encrocquier (Middle Latin incrocare), seize upon, take, from en, in, + croc, a hook: see crook, and cf. accroach.
  2. from encroach, v.
 

Pronunciations
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/ɛnˈkroʊtʃ/
by American Heritage

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