what is the etymology (sp?) of the word embezzlement?

Question

how did it come to mean taking money from your employer?

Answer 1

From the Online Etymology Dictionary:
1469, from Anglo-Fr. embesiler "to steal, cause to disappear" (1305), from O.Fr. besillier "torment, destroy, gouge," of unknown origin. Sense of "to dispose of fraudulently" is first recorded 1585.

Answer 2

The word itself comes from the 15 century Anglo Norman word embesiler meaning to steal and ultimate for the Old French besillier meaning to gouge, destroy. As to how it came to be used in the context of taking money from an employer, that I can't say but probably was based on someone haveing that term applied to them by an employer at tat time and found it way through there into the legal system and eventually into the colloquial lexicon

Answer 3

etymology of embezzlement

Middle English embesilen from Anglo-Norman enbesiler Old French en- intensive pref.; See en- 1 Old French besillier to ravage] em·bez “zle·ment n. em·bez “zler n. -\

Answer 4

ETYMOLOGY:
Middle English embesilen, from Anglo-Norman enbesiler : Old French en-, intensive pref. ; see en- 1 + Old French besillier, to ravage
http://education.yahoo.com/reference/dictionary/entry/embezzle

JMB

Answer 5

em·bez·zle (m-bzl) KEY

TRANSITIVE VERB:
em·bez·zled , em·bez·zling , em·bez·zles
To take (money, for example) for one's own use in violation of a trust.

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ETYMOLOGY:
Middle English embesilen, from Anglo-Norman enbesiler : Old French en-, intensive pref. ; see en- 1 + Old French besillier, to ravage

OTHER FORMS:
em·bezzle·ment (Noun), em·bezzler (Noun)

Answer 6

from French embesiler to make away with.