im·pute [ im pyt ](past and past participleim·put·ed, present participleim·put·ing, 3rd person present singularim·putes)
transitive verb
Definition:
1. attribute bad action to somebody: to attribute a usually undesirable action or event to somebody
2. attribute bad quality to somebody: to attribute a usually undesirable quality to a person, cause, or source
3. law charge somebody responsible for another's crime: to bring legal charges against somebody because a person that he or she is responsible for has committed an offense
4. extend quality to somebody else: to regard a quality such as righteousness that applies to somebody as also applying to another person associated with him or her
[14th century. Via French< Latin imputare "bring into the reckoning" < putare "reckon"]
