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unterschlagen

to embezzle; to misappropriate

verb oon-ter-SHLAH-gen Rare
People & Society Crime

Also means

to suppress (evidence)

Usage Note

unterschlagen (§246 StGB) means to misappropriate property entrusted to one's care, e.g. an employee taking company money; it also means suppressing something, like einen Brief unterschlagen (suppress a letter).

Examples

"Der Buchhalter hatte jahrelang Firmengelder unterschlagen."

Natural Translation

The accountant had been embezzling company funds for years.

Literal Translation

The accountant had for-years company-funds embezzled.

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