Usurp \U*surp"\, v. i.
To commit forcible seizure of place, power, functions, or the
like, without right; to commit unjust encroachments; to be,
or act as, a usurper.
[1913 Webster]
The parish churches on which the Presbyterians and
fanatics had usurped. --Evelyn.
[1913 Webster]
And now the Spirits of the Mind
Are busy with poor Peter Bell;
Upon the rights of visual sense
Usurping, with a prevalence
More terrible than magic spell. --Wordsworth.
[1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Usurp \U*surp"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Usurped; p. pr. & vb. n.
Usurping.] [L. usurpare, usurpatum, to make use of, enjoy,
get possession of, usurp; the first part of usurpare is akin
to usus use (see Use, n.): cf. F. usurper.]
To seize, and hold in possession, by force, or without right;
as, to usurp a throne; to usurp the prerogatives of the
crown; to usurp power; to usurp the right of a patron is to
oust or dispossess him.
[1913 Webster]
Alack, thou dost usurp authority. --Shak.
[1913 Webster]
Another revolution, to get rid of this illegitimate and
usurped government, would of course be perfectly
justifiable. --Burke.
[1913 Webster]
Note: Usurp is applied to seizure and use of office,
functions, powers, rights, etc.; it is not applied to
common dispossession of private property.
[1913 Webster]
Syn: To arrogate; assume; appropriate.
[1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
usurp
v 1: seize and take control without authority and possibly with
force; take as one's right or possession; "He assumed to
himself the right to fill all positions in the town";
"he usurped my rights"; "She seized control of the
throne after her husband died" [syn: assume, seize,
take over, arrogate]
2: take the place of; "gloom had usurped mirth at the party
after the news of the terorist act broke"
WordNet (r) 2.0
56 Moby Thesaurus words for "usurp":
accroach, adopt, advance upon, appropriate, arrogate, assume,
assume command, break bounds, colonize, commandeer, conquer,
cut out, displace, encroach, enslave, go too far, hog, indent,
infringe, intrude, invade, irrupt, jump a claim, know no bounds,
make an inroad, make free with, make use of, monopolize,
mount the throne, occupy, overrun, overstep, overstep the bounds,
play God, preempt, preoccupy, prepossess, pretend to, requisition,
seize, seize power, seize the throne, sit on, squat on, subjugate,
take all of, take charge, take command, take it all, take over,
take possession of, take the helm, take the lead, take up,
transgress, trespass
Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0
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