Steal (?), n. [See Stale a
handle.] A handle; a stale, or stele. [Archaic or Prov.
Eng.]
And in his hand a huge poleax did bear.
Whose steale was iron-studded but not long.
Spenser.Steal (?), v. i. 1.
To practice, or be guilty of, theft; to commit larceny or
theft.
Thou shalt not steal.
Ex. xx.
15.
2. To withdraw, or pass privily; to slip in,
along, or away, unperceived; to go or come furtively.
Chaucer.
Fixed of mind to avoid further entreaty, and to fly all
company, one night she stole away.
Sir P.
Sidney.
From whom you now must steal, and take no
leave.
Shak.
A soft and solemn breathing sound
Rose like a steam of rich, distilled perfumes,
And stole upon the air.
Milton.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. stjäla, Dan. stiæle, 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.