Final answer:
To embezzle means to misappropriate funds, aligning with option 1. It involves illegal financial activities by someone in a trusted position and does not relate to balancing, remunerating, or clearing transactions.
Step-by-step explanation:
To embezzle is to misappropriate funds, especially by someone trusted with the custody or management of the money. This verb aligns with option 1. Missappropriate. Embezzlement is a form of financial fraud where an individual, often an employee or someone with access to financial accounts, illegally takes money for their own use.
It does not involve balancing accounts, remunerating which means paying for services or goods, or clearing transactions. Instead, it is associated with deceit and theft, often conducted over a period to avoid detection.
The provided passage demonstrates the internal conflict experienced by a character grappling with the idea of theft.
This internal debate over whether to return the stolen money indicates the character's understanding of the morality and the personal consequences of embezzlement. Ultimately, embezzlement betrays trust and is legally actionable.