impute Meaning, Definition & Usage

verb attribute or credit to
ascribe; assign; attribute.
- We attributed this quotation to Shakespeare
- People impute great cleverness to cats
verb attribute (responsibility or fault) to a cause or source
- The teacher imputed the student's failure to his nervousness

F. imputer, L. imputare to bring into the reckoning, charge, impute; pref. im- in + putare to reckon, think. See Putative.

imperfect & past participle Imputed; present participle & verbal noun Imputing

To charge; to ascribe; to attribute; to set to the account of; to charge to one as the author, responsible originator, or possessor; -- generally in a bad sense.
Nor you, ye proud, impute to these the fault, If memory o'er their tomb no trophies raise. Gray.

One vice of a darker shade was imputed to him -- envy. Macaulay.
(Theol.) To adjudge as one's own (the sin or righteousness) of another; as, the righteousness of Christ is imputed to us.
It was imputed to him for righteousness. Rom. iv. 22.

They merit Imputed shall absolve them who renounce Their own, both righteous and unrighteous deeds. Milton.
To take account of; to consider; to regard. R.
If we impute this last humiliation as the cause of his death. Gibbon.
Syn. -- To ascribe; attribute; charge; reckon; consider; imply; insinuate; refer. See Ascribe.