Meanings of defalcate in English

Originally, to defalcate meant to cut or lop off a portion from the whole; to retrench, deduct, subtract.

I was surprised to find that the verb defalcate is still in use; I thought it had died out years ago.

An embezzler can not defalcate in Nova Scotia, lightly skip into Manitoba and put both provinces to expense and technical trouble apprehending him.

The plasterers were hindered; the painters misunderstood orders; the paperers have defalcated, and the universe generally comes to a pause.