ENCROACH


Meaning of ENCROACH in English

— encroacher , n.

/en krohch"/ , v.i.

1. to advance beyond proper, established, or usual limits; make gradual inroads: A dictatorship of the majority is encroaching on the rights of the individual.

2. to trespass upon the property, domain, or rights of another, esp. stealthily or by gradual advances.

[ 1275-1325; ME encrochen encrocher, OF encrochier to catch hold of, seize, equiv. to en- EN- 1 + -crochier, v. deriv. of croc hook ]

Syn. 1, 2. See trespass .

Random House Webster's Unabridged English dictionary.      Полный английский словарь Вебстер - Random House .