Emily Dickinson Lexicon

AT-TRIB'UTE, v.t. [L. attribuo; ad and tribuo, to divide, to bestow, to assign; tribus, a tribe, division or ward; Fr. attribuer; Sp. atribuir, tribuir; It. attribuire. See Tribe.]

1. To allot or attach, in contemplation; to ascribe; to consider as belonging. We attribute nothing to God, that contains a contradiction. – Tillotson.
2. To give as due; to yield as an act of the mind; as, to attribute to God all the glory of redemption.
3. To impute, as to a cause; as, our misfortunes are generally to be attributed to our follies or imprudence.