arrogate

ar•ro•gate (AR-uh-geyt)  v tr

Definition:
1. to take or claim for oneself without right; appropriate
2. to ascribe on behalf of another in an unwarranted manner
arrogated past participle; arrogated past tense; arrogating present participle; arrogates 3rd person singular present; arrogation, arrogator noun; arrogative adjective; arrogatively adverb

Origin:
1537; from L. arrogatus, pp. of arrogare "to claim for oneself" from ad- "to" + rogare "ask, propose"

Related:
Synonyms: accroach, appropriate, assume, expropriate, presume; ascribe, attribute, assign
Related Words: arrogance, derogatory, surrogate, prerogative, interrogation

Sentence Examples:
• That I have foibles, and perhaps many of them, I shall not deny. I should esteem myself, as the world would, vain and empty, were I to arrogate perfection. - George Washington

• The way in which men associate for worship, or in which they consider it most remunerative to invest their efforts to forward the kingdom, gives them no right to arrogate to themselves the title of God's Church. Any body of men saying, "We are the Church," seems to me ridiculous. - What the Church Means to Me, Wilfred T. Grenfell

• Denis, however, had overcome this modesty, and felt not a whit too shamefaced to arrogate to his own learning and character the most unhesitating manifestation of their deference and respect, and they soon scrupled not to pay it.  - Going To Maynooth, William Carleton

Sources: Free Dictionary, Online Etymology

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