Emily Dickinson Lexicon

IM-PUTE', v.t. [Fr. imputer; It. imputare; Sp. imputar; L. imputo; in and puto, to think, to reckon; properly, to set, to put, to throw to or on.]

1. To charge; to attribute; to set to the account of; generally ill, sometimes good. We impute crimes, sins, trespasses, faults, blame, &c, to the guilty persons. We impute wrong actions to bad motives, or to ignorance, or to folly and rashness. We impute misfortunes and miscarriages to imprudence. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. Rom. iv.
2. To attribute; to ascribe. I have read a book imputed to lord Bathurst. Swift.
3. To reckon to one what does not belong to him. It has been held that Adam's sin is imputed to all his posterity. Encyc. Thy merit / Imputed shall absolve them who renounce / Their own both righteous and unrighteous deeds. Milton.