entrust

Entrust is a verb meaning to commit something to another person or organization for care, safekeeping, or performance, with the expectation that the recipient will safeguard it, act with responsibility, or carry out a task faithfully. Common constructions include entrusting someone with something (giving someone responsibility) and entrusting someone to do something (authorizing them to perform a task). The noun entrustment describes the act or process of entrusting.

Etymology: The word derives from Middle English entrusten, from Old French en-trustier, built on trust with a prefix en- indicating “put into” or “in the possession of.” The sense evolved to cover the transfer of possession or responsibility while maintaining reliance on the recipient’s integrity.

Usage: In law and finance, entrustment often involves fiduciary duties, as when a custodian or trustee holds property on behalf of another. In everyday language, one might entrust a friend with house keys or entrust confidential information to a trusted colleague. The term also appears in security and identity-management contexts, where an organization entrusts devices, data, or processes to technologies that verify or safeguard them.

Brand usage: Entrust is used as a corporate or brand name by several organizations, particularly in the field of digital security and identity management, reflecting the notion of placing trust in a system or service.