STEAL (2)

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. 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. 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. 3. To gain by insinuating arts or covert means.
So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel. 2 Sam. xv. 6. 4. 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. 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.