Usurp — Defs

01 v. t. To seize, and hold in possession, by force, or without right; as, to usurp a throne; to usurp the prerogatives of the crown; to usurp power…

imp. & p. p. Usurped; p. pr. & vb. n. Usurping

1.
To seize, and hold in possession, by force, or without right; as, to usurp a throne; to usurp the prerogatives of the crown; to usurp power; to usurp the right of a patron is to oust or dispossess him.
“Alack, thou dost usurp authority.” — Shak.

“Another revolution, to get rid of this illegitimate and usurped government, would of course be perfectly justifiable.” — Burke.

Syn. To arrogate; assume; appropriate.

02 v. i. To commit forcible seizure of place, power, functions, or the like, without right; to commit unjust encroachments; to be, or act as, a usurper.

1.
To commit forcible seizure of place, power, functions, or the like, without right; to commit unjust encroachments; to be, or act as, a usurper.
“The parish churches on which the Presbyterians and fanatics had usurped.” — Evelyn.

“And now the Spirits of the Mind Are busy with poor Peter Bell; Upon the rights of visual sense Usurping, with a prevalence More terrible than magic spell.” — Wordsworth.