accroach

transitive verb

ac·​croach

əˈkrōch,

aˈ-

-ed/-ing/-es

: assume, appropriate, usurp

accroach to themselves royal power

—William Stubbs

Word History

Etymology

Middle English acrochen to draw, acquire, from Middle French acrochier, from a- (from Latin ad-) + crochier to hook, get hold of, from croc hook, of Germanic origin; akin to Old Norse krōkr hook

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

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