Poverish

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. Archaic term meaning to reduce a person or place to poverty by stripping away their wealth or resources
2. Obsolete verb for making someone or something poor, leaving them without money, property or means
3. To make a person or community needy by depriving them of wealth, possessions or the means to live well

Etymology: Poverty and the Latin word for a pauper share more than a meaning. "Poverish" is an old verb meaning to make someone poor, and it descends from Old French "povrir," built on "povre" (poor). That French word came from Latin "pauper," which is traditionally analyzed as "pau-" (little) plus a form of "parere" (to produce), so a pauper was once someone who produced little. English has long had several verbs in this family. "Impoverish" came into use through the same French source, and "poverish" is a close relative that has largely faded from everyday speech. Both keep the core idea of depriving someone of resources.