Steal \Steal\, v. t. [imp. Stole; p. p. Stolen; p. pr. & vb.
n. Stealing.]
[OE. stelen, AS. stelan; akin to OFries.
stela, D. stelen, OHG. stelan, G. stehlen, Icel. stela, SW.
stj["a]la, Dan. sti[ae]le, Goth. stilan.]
1. To take and carry away, feloniously; to take without right
or leave, and with intent to keep wrongfully; as, to steal
the personal goods of another.
Maugre thy heed, thou must for indigence Or steal,
or borrow, thy dispense. --Chaucer.
The man who stole a goose and gave away the giblets
in ?lms. --G. Eliot.
2. To withdraw or convey clandestinely (reflexive); hence, to
creep furtively, or to insinuate.
They could insinuate and steal themselves under the
same by their humble carriage and submission.
--Spenser.
He will steal himself into a man's favor. --Shak.
3. To gain by insinuating arts or covert means.
So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.
--2 Sam. xv.
6.
4. To get into one's power gradually and by imperceptible
degrees; to take possession of by a gradual and
imperceptible appropriation; -- with away.
Variety of objects has a tendency to steal away the
mind from its steady pursuit of any subject. --I.
Watts.
5. To accomplish in a concealed or unobserved manner; to try
to carry out secretly; as, to steal a look.
Always, when thou changest thine opinion or course,
profess it plainly, . . . and do not think to steal
it. --Bacon.
To steal a march, to march in a covert way; to gain an
advantage unobserved; -- formerly followed by of, but now
by on or upon, and sometimes by over; as, to steal a march
upon one's political rivals.
She yesterday wanted to steal a march of poor Liddy.
--Smollett.
Fifty thousand men can not easily steal a march over
the sea. --Walpole.
Syn: To filch; pilfer; purloin; thieve.
Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
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