[steal] vb stole ; sto.len ; steal.ing [ME stelen, fr. OE stelan; akin to OHG stelan to steal] vi (bef. 12c) 1: to take the property of another wrongfully and esp. as an habitual or regular practice
2: to come or go secretly, unobtrusively, gradually, or unexpectedly
3: to steal or attempt to steal a base ~ vt 1 a: to take or appropriate without right or leave and with intent to keep or make use of wrongfully "stole a car" b: to take away by force or unjust means "they've stolen our liberty" c: to take surreptitiously or without permission "~ a kiss" d: to appropriate to oneself or beyond one's proper share: make oneself the focus of "~ the show"
2. a: to move, convey, or introduce secretly: smuggle b: to accomplish in a concealed or unobserved manner "~ a visit" 3 a: to seize, gain, or win by trickery, skill, or daring "a basketball player adept at ~ing the ball" "stole the election" b of a base runner: to reach (a base) safely solely by running and usu. catching the opposing team off guard -- steal.able adj -- steal.er n -- steal a march on : to gain an advantage on unobserved -- steal one's thunder : to grab attention from another esp. by anticipating an idea, plan, or presentation; also: to claim credit for another's idea syn steal, pilfer, filch, purloin mean to take from another without right or without detection. steal may apply to any surreptitious taking of something and differs from the other terms by commonly applying to intangibles as well as material things "steal jewels" "stole a look at the gifts". pilfer implies stealing repeatedly in small amounts "pilfered from his employer". filch adds a suggestion of snatching quickly and surreptitiously "filched an apple from the tray". purloin stresses removing or carrying off for one's own use or purposes "printed a purloined document".
[2]steal n (ca. 1825) 1: the act or an instance of stealing
2: a fraudulent or questionable political deal
3: bargain
2. "it's a ~ at that price"