English

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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From encroach +‎ -ment.

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /ɪŋˈkɹoʊt͡ʃmənt/, /ɛŋˈkɹoʊt͡ʃmənt/
  • Audio (Southern England):(file)

Noun

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encroachment (usually uncountable, plural encroachments)

  1. An entry into a place or area that was previously uncommon; an advance beyond former borders; intrusion; incursion.
    • 1949 November and December, “Notes and News: Festiniog and Welsh Highland Railways”, in Railway Magazine, page 408:
      At the same time, the encroachment of vegetation proceeds apace, and broom and brambles have already made portions of the line impassable, even on foot.
    • 1990, Quest[1], numbers 105-106, Centre for Society and Religion, pages 56-57:
      [] the largest extents of encroachments were found in the Dry Zone Districts, such as Anuradhapura, Kurunegala and Moneragala, where encroachable State lands were readily available (Table I). [] Between 1979-1985, some 104,490 new encroachments covering an extent of 70,646 Ha (174,566 acres) took place with high encroachments in the Central Province (40% increase over 1978). The Western Province comes second. This excludes []
  2. An intrusion upon another's possessions or rights; infringement.
  3. That which is gained by such unlawful intrusion.
  4. (law) An unlawful diminution of the possessions of another.

Derived terms

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