v. Forms: α. 5 enbesyl, enbesel(l, 5–6 embesell, -sill, -syle, -syll, (6 embecill), 6–8 embezel(l, -zil(l, -zle, -zzel(l, 7 embeasil, -zle, embes(s)el(l, 6– embezzle. β. 5–8 imbezel(l, -ill, (6–7 imbeazel(l), 7–8 imbezzel(l, -il, imbezle, 6–8 imbesel(l, -il(l, (6–7 imbeasell, -il, imbecile, -ill, imbesle, ymbessill,) 7 imbezzle. [ad. AF. enbesiler (quots. 1397, 1404), ‘to make away with, cause to disappear, fraudulently destroy’; f. en- + beseler (see BEZZLE v.), which occurs (with the same sense) in the Year-books of 32–33 Edw. III. (1305), and appears to be identical with OF. besillier (Pr. besillar) to maltreat, ravage, destroy; according to M. Paul Meyer f. L. bis-, in late L. used as a pejorative prefix.
In 16th c. the Eng. word appears to have been referred to the L. imbecillare to weaken (see IMBECILE), and this notion has possibly in some degree influenced the subsequent development of the sense.]
† 1. trans. To make away with (provisions, money, etc.); esp. to carry off secretly (what belongs to another person) for one’s own use. Obs.
α. [1397. Will of John of Gaunt, in Nichols, Royal Wills (1780), 155. Drap enbroudes … & toutes autres pieces de la suyt … quels je achatay de … la Duchesse de Northfolk aussi entierement sang riens ent enbeseiller com jeo les avoy de ele.]
1469. Househ. Ord., 91. See that noe vitaills … ne none other stuffe of the seide householde be enbeselled oute.
1530. Palsgr., 531/2. He that embesylleth a thyng intendeth to steale it.
1552. Inv. Ch. Surrey, 55. There was embeselyd one auter clothe and two towelles.
1598. Linschoten’s Voy., in Arb., Garner, III. 18. But little cometh to the owner’s hands, being embezzled and privily made away.
1655. Fuller, Ch. Hist., VIII. 42. The Utensells thereof had lately been Embezelled.
1752. Carte, Hist. Eng., III. 151. One of these [bibles] was to be placed in every parish church, chained so as not to be embezzeled.
β. 1474. Househ. Ord., 30. Nor that the porters suffree any stuffe to be imbezelled out of the sayde gates.
1574. Hellowes, Gueuara’s Fam. Ep., 166. Babling and foule mouthed boyes … wil imbesill your apparrell.
1598. Stow, Surv., xxxiii. (1603), 297. Manie of the kings Iewels were … imbeseled.
1624. Capt. Smith, Virginia, IV. 140. The Sailers … are much to blame for imbesling the prouisions.
fig. 1548. Gest, Pr. Masse, 76. Thee pryvee masse … embecilleth and taketh out of our hartes Christ.
† b. To make away with, fraudulently destroy (a charter, title-deed, etc.). In later use also, To mutilate, tamper with (a document or writing of any kind). Obs.
α. [1404. Act 5 Hen. IV., c. 14 (Record ed.). Porce que pleuseurs pies de fins … et les notes de tielx fyns demorantz en le comune Bank, aient este devant ces heures enbesilez, & autres pies & notes de fyns fauxement contreovez & mys en lour lieux.]
1494. Fabyan, VII. 293. The sayd boke … was enbesylyd, or loste.
1495. Act 11 Hen. VII., c. 51. Preamb., The evydences concernyng the same Maners … ben embeselled by … ill disposed persones.
1509–10. Act 1 Hen. VIII., c. 8. The said commissioner or escheatour may nott change nor enbesyll the said offices or inquisiciones.
1581. Lambarde, Eiren., IV. xxi. (1588), 625. If a Iustice of the Peace will craftily embesill an Enditement.
1660. H. More, Myst. Godl., VII. xi. 326. The Writings of the Evangelists … were never embeseled.
1662. Fuller, Worthies (1840), III. 296. The records belonging to this family have been embezzled.
1691. E. Taylor, Behmen’s Life, 424. A Hieroglyphical Monument … was razed and embezelled by the rude Hands of the envious.
β. 1504. Plumpton Corr., Introd. 64. How … evydenc’ hath bene imbeseled.
1665. Stillingfl., Rational Acc. Prot. Relig., 212. Is it then possible to suppose all those Copy’s at once imbezeled.
1671. F. Philipps, Reg. Necess., Ep. Ded. b 1 b. It is Felony to imbezill or corrupt a Record.
1677–8. Marvell, Corr., 326, Wks. 1872–5, II. 586. Upon occasion of imbeziling the Bill sent from the Lords.
† c. To entice away (a person) from service, etc. Obs.
1579. Fenton, Guicciard., XIII. (1599), 615. He would be a conuenient instrument to imbeasell from the army of Franciscomaria the bands of Gascons.
1594. Lyly, Moth. Bombie, V. iii. 137. I had rather thou shouldst rob my chest, than imbeasell my sonne.
† 2. To weaken, impair, diminish. Obs.
1566. Drant, Horace’ Sat., I. v. D j a. And so imbecill all theyr strengthe, That they are naught to me.
1580. Hollyband, Treas. Fr. Tong, Appetisser, to diminish, to lessen, to imbesill.
1610. in Picton, L’pool Munic. Rec. (1883), I. 121. Whereby the Quene’s Majesties custome … maye … be … empayred … or embeselled.
1622. Malynes, Anc. Law-Merch., 307. The Kings or Princes Valuation is effected … by embeasiling the standard of money by allay.
1636. Featly, Clavis Myst., lxx. 892. Our luxury hath imbezelled us.
1670. Basil Valentine, Last Will & Test., xxxvii. Have a respect to the upper scaffolds, that they be not imbezled.
† 3. To impair or diminish by waste or extravagance; to squander, dissipate (property, etc.).
α. 1578. Banister, Hist. Man, I. 26. Nature … would not … for the insertion of Muscles … embicill, and wast so much of the bones.
1621. Burton, Anat. Mel., III. ii. VI. v. (1651), 576 b. He hath embeazled his estate.
1658. Sir T. Browne, Hydriot., iii. 37. Fearing to embezzle a great commodity of their Country.
1749. Chesterf., Lett., II. ccxi. 308. It is not the fashion … at Paris, to embezzle at least half of it [the day] at table.
1770. Langhorne, Plutarch (1879), II. 901/1. His fortune, which had been so much embezzled.
β. 1621. Burton, Anat. Mel., I. ii. III. xv. (1651), 137. When they have with riot and prodigality, imbezelled their estates.
1679. J. Goodman, Penitent Pard., I. iv. (1713), 99. He wastes and imbezils the very talents and abilities God had endowed him with.
1683. Crowne, City Politiques, II. i. 24. I have imbezell’d all the furniture of my soul and body in vice.
4. (The only current sense.) To divert to one’s own use (money, etc.) in violation of trust or official duty. [At first app. a contextual use of 1 and 3; in early examples not distinguishable from one or the other of these.]
α. 1600. Holland, Livy, XXXVIII. i. 1016. The Tribunes … proceeded to charge him … for embezzeling and averting to his proper use certeine treasure gotten from king Antiochus.
1783. Burke, Report Affairs India, Wks. XI. 318. His fortune … grossly mismanaged and embezzled.
1833. Macaulay, War Success., Ess. (1854), I. 249/1. Bellasys, the English General, embezzled the stores. Ibid. (1855), Hist. Eng., IV. 363. The rapacious governor had daily opportunities of embezzling and extorting.
β. 1585. Fleetwood, in Ellis, Orig. Lett., Ser. I. 216, II. 301. To steale and imbesell any thinge in his charge this is felonye.
1613. Sir H. Finch, Law (1636), 211. The seruant that hath any goods … deliuered him to keepe by his Master and … doth … imbezle, or conuert the same to his own vse, the same, shall be judged a theefe.
1653. H. Cogan, trans. Pinto’s Trav., viii. 24. That Mahometan, who had imbezzled away a great part of the goods committed to his charge.
¶ 5. Used by Shelton to render the like-sounding Sp. embelesar, to bewilder, stupefy [cf. BEZZLE v.].
1620. Shelton, Quix., II. liii. 357. Sancho was astonish’t and embeseld with what he heard & saw.
