usurp
pronunciation
How to pronounce usurp in British English:
UK [ju:ˈzɜ:p]
How to pronounce usurp in American English:
US [juˈzɜrp]
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- Verb:
- seize and take control without authority and possibly with force; take as one's right or possession
- take the place of
Word Origin
- usurp
- usurp: [14] Etymologically, to usurp something is probably to ‘seize it for one’s own use’. The word comes via Old French usurper from Latin ūsūrpāre, which may have been formed from the noun ūsus ‘use’ (source of English use) and rapere ‘seize’ (source of English rape, rapture, ravish, etc).=> rape, rapture, ravish, use
- usurp (v.)
- early 14c., from Old French usurper "to (wrongfully) appropriate" (14c.), from Latin usurpare "make use of, seize for use," in later Latin "to assume unlawfully, trespass on," from usus "a use" (see use (v.)) + rapere "to seize" (see rapid (adj.)). Related: Usurped; usurping.
Antonym
Example
- 1. It 's yet another salvo across amazon 's bow , which some retailers are concerned could usurp their business .
- 2. I did not usurp the crown .
- 3. But many congressmen think it would usurp their responsibilities .
- 4. As time goes on , the eurozone will usurp the eu .
- 5. Instead he spoke of a fight against " political provocations which have only one aim : to destroy russian statehood and usurp power . "