peculate

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 Arnold Bennett

He knows how pedants hoodwink people, how priests act the hypocrite, how physicians act the rake, how lawyers peculate.

From The Three Devils: Luther's, Milton's, and Goethe's With Other Essays by David Masson

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 W. A. P. (William Alexander Parsons) Martin

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 Archibald Murray Howe

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 James Fenimore Cooper

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 James Parton

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 Thomas Carlyle

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 Edward Berdoe

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 Brantz Mayer

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 Charles James Lever

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 Charles Campbell

It is due to Mr Tigg to say that he had really risen with his opportunities; and, peculating on a grander scale, he had become a grander man altogether.

From Martin Chuzzlewit by Charles Dickens

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 George Alfred Townsend

So you had much better marry me, my dear, and say good-bye to your peculating friends.

From The Cords of Vanity A Comedy of Shirking by James Branch Cabell

He immediately made up his mind that Deane was peculating, and never ceased writing accusatory letters until Congress recalled the unfortunate envoy.

From Benjamin Franklin by Paul Elmer More