/ ɪnˈkrəʊtʃ; NAmE ɪnˈkroʊtʃ/ verb [ v ] encroach (on / upon sth) ( formal )
1.
( disapproving ) to begin to affect or use up too much of sb's time, rights, personal life, etc. :
I won't encroach on your time any longer.
He never allows work to encroach upon his family life.
2.
to slowly begin to cover more and more of an area :
The growing town soon encroached on the surrounding countryside.
the encroaching tide (= that is coming in)
► en·croach·ment noun [ U , C ] encroachment (on / upon sth) :
the regime's many encroachments on human rights
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WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English (in the sense obtain unlawfully, seize ; formerly also as incroach ): from Old French encrochier seize, fasten upon, from en- in, on + crochier (from croc hook, from Old Norse krókr ).