Definitions for: Usurp


[v] take the place of; "gloom had usurped mirth at the party after the news of the terorist act broke"
[v] take possession of without permission or take with force, as after a conquest or invasion; "the invaders seized the land and property of the inhabitants"; "The army seized the town"; "The militia captured the castle"
[v] 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"



Webster (1913) Definition: 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.

Alack, thou dost usurp authority. --Shak.

Another revolution, to get rid of this illegitimate and
usurped government, would of course be perfectly
justifiable. --Burke.

Note: Usurp is applied to seizure and use of office,
functions, powers, rights, etc.; it is not applied to
common dispossession of private property.

Syn: To arrogate; assume; appropriate.


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.

The parish churches on which the Presbyterians and
fanatics had usurped. --Evelyn.

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.

Synonyms: appropriate, arrogate, assume, capture, conquer, seize, take over

See Also: annex, carry, preoccupy, raid, replace, supersede, supervene upon, supplant, take

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