The Collaborative International Dictionary
Steal \Steal\ (st[=e]l), v. t. [imp. Stole (st[=o]l); p. p. Stolen (st[=o]"l'n); 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.]
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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 beg, or borrow, thy dispense.
--Chaucer.The man who stole a goose and gave away the giblets in alms.
--G. Eliot. -
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. -
To gain by insinuating arts or covert means.
So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.
--2 Sam. xv. 6. -
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. -
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.
Usage examples of "to steal a march".
We will attempt to steal a march on them bytraveling along this route, the Thon- Thalas River.
We should probably leave an hour before, though, to steal a march on anyone coming down the highway.
But the Baba said he meant to steal a march on all his rivals, your da told Hugo.
They set out at night so as to steal a march upon the enemy, but within three or four miles of his camp they came unexpectedly upon some of his Crow scouts.
To stop trying to steal a march on neighbors and friends might reduce us to indolence and decay.
He suspected that Norworth was trying to steal a march on him and he refused to let a second fortune fall into enemy hands.