Steal (stēl), v. t. [imp.Stole (stōl); p. p.Stolen (stō″l'n); 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 beg, or borrow, thy dispense. Chaucer.
The man who stole a goose and gave away the giblets in alms. 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.