peculate

The former is counted by hundreds of taels; the latter, by thousands, especially where there is a temptation to peculate.

From The Awakening of China by Martin, W. A. P. (William Alexander Parsons)

That great man little liked that any one but himself should peculate in his dominions, and, in the end, M. de Talleyrand was obliged to quit the Hotel Monaco.

From Recollections of Europe by Cooper, James Fenimore

It is true that the excellent chef began to peculate, but as his cuisine did not suffer, the result was not noticeable for a long period.

From The Old Wives' Tale by Bennett, Arnold

No man ever paid a bribe for the handling of the public money, but to peculate from it.

From The Works of the Right Honourable Edmund Burke, Vol. 10 (of 12) by Burke, Edmund

I shall not dwell upon his Military Character or the measures he had adopted for the surrender of West Point—that being already fully Elucidated but will give you a small specimen of his peculate talents.

From Colonel John Brown, of Pittsfield, Massachusetts, the Brave Accuser of Benedict Arnold by Howe, Archibald Murray

He is coarse, uneducated, and vulgar; he never picked up any semblance of the class from whom he peculated; and has lived on, as he began, a "low comedy villain," and no more.

From The Dodd Family Abroad, Vol. II by Lever, Charles James

The minor officials misruled and peculated, as we have related in our introductory sketch of the viceroyal government.

From Mexico, Aztec, Spanish and Republican Vol. 1 of 2 A Historical, Geographical, Political, Statistical and Social Account of That Country From the Period of the Invasion by the Spaniards to the Present Time; With a View of the Ancient Aztec Empire and Civilization; A Historical Sketch of the Late War; And Notices of New Mexico and California by Mayer, Brantz

Walpole bribed, Swift maligned, Bolingbroke intrigued, Charteris seduced, and Marlborough peculated just as if the New Light had not dawned and the miracles had remained intact.

From Caricature and Other Comic Art in all Times and many Lands. by Parton, James

He was once the Shah’s Prime Minister: he peculated, and was disgraced.

From The Browning Cyclop?dia A Guide to the Study of the Works of Robert Browning by Berdoe, Edward

We saw him hanging Schlubhut in the autumn of 1731, who had peculated from said moneys; and surveying Preussen, under storms of thunder and rain on one occasion.

From History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 09 by Carlyle, Thomas

Peter Alrichs inherited the well-cleared farm of his papa, and had the best estate in all New Amstel except Gerrit Van Swearingen, who was accused of getting rich by smuggling, peculating, and slave-catching.

From Tales of the Chesapeake by Townsend, George Alfred

After Newport's departure, Ratcliffe, the president, lived in ease, peculating on the public store.

From History of the Colony and Ancient Dominion of Virginia by Campbell, Charles

Here, too, about fifty years ago, a pretty French girl used to play and eat peaches, maintained by funds mysteriously supplied from Louisiana, and ignorant of all connections except a peculating guardian.

From Lippincott's Magazine, Volume 11, No. 26, May, 1873 by Various

He was charged with various acts of extortion on the citizens of Philadelphia, and with peculating on the public funds.

From Life and Times of Washington, Volume 2 Revised, Enlarged, and Enriched by Schroeder, John Frederick

But it was very probable that those who themselves entertained designs of peculating upon the public funds, would be glad to get Mr. Lee out of their way.

From History of the Colony and Ancient Dominion of Virginia by Campbell, Charles