Encroachment

4 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Encroachment \En*croach"ment\, n.
     1. The act of entering gradually or silently upon the rights
        or possessions of another; unlawful intrusion.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              An unconstitutional encroachment of military power


              on the civil establishment.           --Bancroft.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. That which is taken by encroaching on another.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. (Law) An unlawful diminution of the possessions of
        another.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  encroachment
       n 1: any entry into an area not previously occupied; "an invasion
            of tourists"; "an invasion of locusts" [syn: {invasion},
             {intrusion}]
       2: entry to another's property without right or permission
          [syn: {trespass}, {violation}, {intrusion}, {usurpation}]
       3: influencing strongly; "they resented the impingement of
          American values on European culture" [syn: {impingement},
          {impact}]

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  35 Moby Thesaurus words for "encroachment":
     adoption, appropriation, arrogation, assumption, entrance,
     entrenchment, impingement, imposition, incursion, infiltration,
     influx, infraction, infringement, injection, inroad, insinuation,
     interference, interjection, interloping, interposition,
     interposure, interruption, intervention, intrusion, invasion,
     irruption, obtrusion, overstepping, playing God, seizure,
     transgression, trespass, trespassing, unlawful entry, usurpation
  
  

From Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856) [bouvier]:

  ENCROACHMENT. An unlawful gaining upon the right or possession of another; 
  as, when a man sets his fence beyond his line; in this case the proper 
  remedy for the party injured is an action of ejectment, or an action of 
  trespass.