Misligholde

Misligholde is a term that appears in a small number of historical Dutch documents. It is generally considered archaic or dialectal and is not part of contemporary standard Dutch. In those sources it is linked to the verb mislighouden, which means to misuse, misapply, or misappropriate assets that have been entrusted to someone. As such, misligholde denotes a wrongful handling of property or funds, often within a fiduciary or administrative context. In modern usage, similar ideas are expressed with misbruik, mismanaging, or breach of fiduciary duty.

Etymology: The word combines mis-, a prefix indicating wrong or bad, with houden, meaning to hold or keep. The sense is roughly “to hold wrongly” or “to hold in bad faith.”

Usage and context: The term is typically found in older legal or financial records, accounts, or estate documents. It may refer to acts where a custodian or administrator failed to safeguard assets, diverted funds, or otherwise violated the terms of trust or duty.

Notable notes: Because misligholde is rare today, it is often encountered as a historical or dialectal form. Modern Dutch would use other expressions to convey the same concept.

See also: misbruik; mishandeling; misdrijf; fiduciary duty.