ASCRIBE

[as.cribe] vt as.cribed ; as.crib.ing [ME, fr. L ascribere, fr. ad- + scribere to write--more at scribe] (15c): to refer to a supposed cause, source, or author -- as.crib.able adj syn ascribe, attribute, assign, impute, credit mean to lay something to the account of a person or thing. ascribe suggests an inferring or conjecturing of cause, quality, authorship "forged paintings formerly ascribed to masters". attribute suggests less tentativeness than ascribe, less definiteness than assign "attributed to Rembrandt but possibly done by an associate". assign implies ascribing with certainty or after deliberation "assigned the bones to the Cretaceous Period". impute suggests ascribing something that brings discredit by way of accusation or blame "tried to impute sinister motives to my actions". credit implies ascribing a thing or esp. an action to a person or other thing as its agent, source, or explanation "credited his teammates for his success".