entrust
UK[ɪnˈtrʌst]US[ɪnˈtrʌst]
v
to make someone responsible for someone or something
v
to give someone a duty or responsibility, especially a legal or financial one
Morpheme Breakdown
en
trust
en
cause to be
trust
confidence, protection, firmness
Etymology
the word 'entrust' is a compound formed within english during the late middle english period. it combines the prefix 'en-', derived from latin, which imparts a sense of "putting into" or "causing to be in a state," with the core germanic noun 'trust', meaning firm belief or confidence. the literal construction "to put into trust" evolved into the modern abstract meaning of assigning responsibility or care to someone based on that confidence. this semantic shift reflects a movement from the concrete state of being in a condition of trust to the active act of conferring authority or duty.
Analysis
Structure: en (cause to be) + trust
en- (from latin in-, meaning "in, into, cause to be"), trust (from old norse traust, meaning "confidence, protection, firmness")
Examples
i entrusted my neighbor with watering my plants while i was on vacation.
the company's finances are entrusted to a highly experienced chief financial officer.
she entrusted the secret to her closest friend, knowing it would be safe.