hypothecate

¹ American  

[hahy-poth-i-keyt] / haɪˈpɒθ ɪˌkeɪt /

verb (used with object)

hypothecated, hypothecating

1. to pledge to a creditor as security without delivering over; mortgage.

2. to put in pledge by delivery, as stocks given as security for a loan.

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hypothecate ² American  

[hahy-poth-i-keyt, hi-] / haɪˈpɒθ ɪˌkeɪt, hɪ- /

verb (used with or without object)

hypothecated, hypothecating

1. an uncommon variant of hypothesize.

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hypothecate British  

/ haɪˈpɒθɪˌkeɪt /

verb

1. (tr) law to pledge (personal property or a ship) as security for a debt without transferring possession or title

2. to allocate the revenue raised by a tax for a specified purpose See also bottomry

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Other Word Forms

• hypothecater
  noun
• hypothecation
  noun
• hypothecator
  noun

Etymology

Origin of hypothecate¹

1675–85; < Medieval Latin hypothēcātus, past participle of hypothēcāre. See hypothec, -ate ¹

Origin of hypothecate²

First recorded in 1905–10; from Greek hypothḗk(ē) “suggestion, counsel” (from hypotithénai “to assume, suppose”; see hypo- ( def. ), thesis ( def. )) + -ate ¹

Example Sentences

But previous attempts to "hypothecate" - or earmark - National Insurance contributions for specific public services have been abandoned.

From BBC • Mar. 13, 2024

If they had no property real or personal to hypothecate, they could borrow on their personal credit only from usurers, who charged 20% and more interest.

From Time Magazine Archive

It was a convenient policy of the priesthood, however, to hypothecate the claim for a human victim by accepting the substitution of a goodly number of horses or cows.

From Oriental Religions and Christianity A Course of Lectures Delivered on the Ely Foundation Before the Students of Union Theological Seminary, New York, 1891 by Ellinwood, Frank F.

These bonds they dispose of or hypothecate to obtain loans on.

From Disputed Handwriting An exhaustive, valuable, and comprehensive work upon one of the most important subjects of to-day. With illustrations and expositions for the detection and study of forgery by handwriting of all kinds by Lavay, Jerome Buell

In like case I might hypothecate, "To go light, discard all but the really necessary articles."

From The Forest by White, Stewart Edward