1540s, noun of action from impute (v.) on model of French imputation, or else from Late Latin imputationem (nominative imputatio) "a charge, an account," noun of action from past-participle stem of Latin imputare "to charge, ascribe."

late 15c., "action of bestowing or assigning," from Latin attributionem (nominative attributio) "an assignment, attribution," noun of action from past-participle stem of attribuere "assign, allot; ascribe, impute," from assimilated form of ad "to" (see ad-) + tribuere "assign, give, bestow" (see tribute). Meaning "thing attributed" is recorded from 1580s.

"cant-hook having a strong spike at the end," used by lumbermen, 1878, said to be named for a John Peavey, blacksmith in Bolivar, N.Y., who supposedly invented it c. 1872. Other sources ascribe it to a Joseph Peavey of Stillwater, Maine, and give a date of 1858.

early 15c. (of church buildings) "set apart and consecrate to a deity or a sacred purpose," from Latin dedicatus, past participle of dedicare "consecrate, proclaim, affirm, set apart," from de "away" (see de-) + dicare "proclaim" (from PIE root *deik- "to show," also "pronounce solemnly," and see diction).

General sense of "devote with solemnity or earnest purpose" is from 1550s. Meaning "ascribe or address (a literary or musical composition) to someone or something" is from 1540s. Related: Dedicated; dedicating.

early 15c., from Old French imputer, emputer (14c.) and directly from Latin imputare "to reckon, make account of, charge, ascribe," from assimilated form of in- "in, into" (from PIE root *en "in") + putare "to trim, prune; reckon, clear up, settle (an account)," from PIE *puto- "cut, struck," suffixed form of root *pau- (2) "to cut, strike, stamp." Related: Imputed; imputing.