- steal´er
-
–v.t.1. to take (something) that does not belong to one; take dishonestly: »
Robbers stole the money. Who steals my purse, steals trash (Shakespeare).
2. to take or appropriate (another's work, words, or ideas) without permission or acknowledgment; pass off as one's own: »No man like you for stealing other men's inventions (Scott).
3. to take, get, or do secretly: »to steal a kiss, to steal a look at someone. She stole time from her lessons to read a story.
4. to take, get, or win by art, charm, or gradual means: »The baby stole our hearts. At the circus, the trained bears stole the act from the clowns.
5. to place, move, or pass slowly, gently, or imperceptibly: »She stole her hand into his.
6. Baseball. to run to (second base, third base, or home plate) as the pitcher delivers the ball to the batter. A player steals a base when he reaches it without the help of a hit, base on balls, error, passed ball, wild pitch, or balk.7. to make (as a play or point) unexpectedly.–v.i.1. to commit or practice theft: »From childhood she had stolen whenever she had a chance.
2. to move, come, or leave secretly or quietly: »She had stolen softly out of the house. A mink steals out of the marsh…and seizes a frog (Thoreau).
SYNONYM(S): sneak, skulk, slink.3. to move, pass, come, or go slowly, gently, or imperceptibly: »The years steal by. A feeling of drowsiness stole over me. Her hand stole timidly into his.
4. Baseball. to steal a base.–n.1. Informal. a) the act of stealing. b) the thing stolen.2. Informal. something obtained at a very low cost or with very little effort: »This table is such a bargain it's a steal.
3. Informal. a dishonest or unethical transaction at a great profit: »Of all the swindles and steals that have ever been proposed or carried out in our State, this is the largest and boldest (Daily Gazette [Little Rock, Arkansas]).
4. Baseball. a safe advance from one base to another by stealing: »Davis overthrew second in an attempt to nail Hale on a steal (Oregonian).
● ↑steal a march,● ↑steal the thunder,● ↑steal the show,╂[Old English stelan]–steal´er, noun.Synonym Study transitive verb.1 Steal, pilfer, filch mean to take dishonestly or wrongfully and secretly something belonging to someone else. Steal is the general and common word: »Thieves stole the silver.
Pilfer means to steal and carry away in small amounts: »In many department stores hidden guards watch for people who pilfer merchandise.
Filch implies stealthy or furtive pilfering, usually of objects of little value: »The children filched some candy from the counter.
Useful english dictionary. 2012.
