encroach

/ɛnˈkroʊtʃ/

/ɛnˈkrʌʊtʃ/

Other forms: encroaching; encroached; encroaches

To encroach is to overstep your bounds, to take over space or rights that belong to another, like your brother whose mess always encroaches on your side of the room you share.

The verb encroach comes from the Old French word encrochier, meaning “seize, fasten on, catch with a hook.” If others slowly take over what belongs to you, they encroach, like people who encroach on your personal space at a crowded concert, or someone whose questions get more and more personal, which encroaches on your privacy.

Definitions of encroach

1. verb

   advance beyond the usual limit
   synonyms: impinge, infringe

   type of:

   advance, go on, march on, move on, pass on, progress

   move forward, also in the metaphorical sense
2. verb

   impinge or infringe upon
   synonyms: entrench, impinge, trench

   type of:

   take advantage, trespass

   make excessive use of