To usurp is to take a power, position or job that is not yours to take — by force, by trickery, or just by pushing in.

To usurp is to take a power, position or job that is not yours to takeusurp是指奪取不屬於你的權力、職位或工作 — by force用武力, by trickery用詭計, or just by pushing in或就是硬擠進去搶。

The classic picture is political: a general usurps the throne, an uncle usurps his young nephew's crown. That is where the word lives most naturally, in history and in Shakespeare.

The classic picture is political經典的畫面是政治上的: a general usurps the throne將軍篡奪王位, an uncle usurps his young nephew's crown叔叔篡奪年幼姪子的王位。That is where the word lives most naturally這是這個字最自然出現的場景, in history and in Shakespeare出現在歷史和莎士比亞的作品裡。

But it also works on a smaller scale, and often with a touch of humour: a new colleague usurps your role as the person who fixes the printer, a young singer usurps the older star's place at the top of the charts. Two things are always true when the word fits — the position already belonged to someone else, and the taking was not legitimate.

But it also works on a smaller scale不過它也用在比較小的規模上, and often with a touch of humour而且常帶點幽默感: a new colleague usurps your role as the person who fixes the printer新來的同事搶走了你『修印表機的人』這個角色, a young singer usurps the older star's place at the top of the charts年輕歌手搶下了老牌明星在排行榜上的第一名位置。Two things are always true when the word fits用這個字的時候，有兩件事一定成立 — the position already belonged to someone else那個位置本來就屬於別人, and the taking was not legitimate而奪取的過程並不正當。

It is formal, and much more common in writing than in speech.

It is formal這個字很正式, and much more common in writing than in speech在寫作中比在口語中常見得多。

Say it 'yoo-ZERP'. Related words: usurper (the person), usurpation (the act).

Say it 'yoo-ZERP'唸法是『yoo-ZERP』。Related words: usurper (the person)相關的字有usurper（篡位者）, usurpation (the act)和usurpation（篡奪這個行為）。