Definition of steal in English:

steal

verbstolen, stole stiːlstil

1with object Take (another person's property) without permission or legal right and without intending to return it.
偷盗，窃取
thieves stole her bicycle
小偷偷了她的自行车。
stolen goods
失窃货物。
no object she was found guilty of stealing from her employers
因偷盗雇主的东西她被判盗窃罪。
Example sentencesExamples
- Each is charged with seven felony counts of selling stolen property.
- Music companies are the first to wage a wide-scale attack against people who steal digital property over the Net.
- Documents, purses and property were stolen in a spate of attacks.
- Also charged with burglary and handling stolen property, Irvine was refused bail because of an irregularity in his visa.
- On the night of 6-7 February 1988 the flat was burgled and a considerable amount of property was stolen.
- He said police would like to hear from anyone with information about burglaries or stolen property.
- Any sensible legal system has to rely in part on sanctions brought to bear after people have stolen property or looted corporations.
- The newspaper was trying to stir up a row about the morality of allowing criminals to ransom stolen property.
- In instances where property is stolen, thieves can and will be traced, and dealt with accordingly.
- Where property is stolen, no beneficial interest passes to the thief.
- An officer arrived the next day just as the builders discovered the thieves had returned and stolen some of the new tiles.
- The villain who was stealing the property was let off by the police.
- Police have warned householders not to leave easy pickings for burglars following a spate of crimes where property was stolen after windows and doors were left unlocked.
- If you rent, buy renter's insurance, which pays for damaged, destroyed or stolen personal property.
- All three were charged with stealing personal property in broad daylight and causing a nuisance to society.
- He was found guilty of the charge of receiving stolen property and received a 30-day jail sentence, which was suspended.
- Those who are fans of gangster movies will know that the practice of selling stolen property is known as fencing.
- The numbers are then held on a database which is only accessible to the police, so that stolen property can be identified and returned to its owner.
- A 72-year-old grandfather has been convicted after police investigating a ram-raid gang found stolen property at his home.
Synonyms
purloin, thieve, take, take for oneself, help oneself to, loot, pilfer, abscond with, run off with, appropriate, abstract, carry off, shoplift
embezzle, misappropriate
have one's fingers/hand in the till
informal walk off/away with, run away/off with, rob, swipe, nab, rip off, lift, ‘liberate’, ‘borrow’, filch, snaffle, snitch, souvenir
British informal nick, pinch, half-inch, whip, knock off, nobble, bone, scrump, blag
North American informal heist, glom
Australian informal snavel
Australian dated, informal clifty
West Indian informal tief
archaic crib, hook
rare peculate, defalcate
(be stolen) informalwalk, go walkies
theft, thieving, thievery, robbery, larceny, burglary, shoplifting, pilfering, pilferage, looting, appropriation, misappropriation
embezzlement
rare peculation, defalcation
1. 1.1 Dishonestly pass off (another person's ideas) as one's own.
  剽窃
  accusations that one group had stolen ideas from the other were soon flying
  一个团体从另外一个团体剽窃想法的指控迅速传播开来。
  Example sentencesExamples
  So in the time-honoured tradition of capitalism, I'm going to steal their idea and offer my own solutions, at a cut rate of course.
  Their greatest fear: someone else might steal their idea.
  But since you won't see that until midseason, Fox went ahead and stole the idea.
  Other manufacturers steal the idea and Stevenson loses a three-year court battle to have his patent honoured.
  Not only that, they are more likely to take bribes, sleep their way to the top, steal the ideas of a colleague and pass them off as their own or to resort to character assassination.
  Now, there's nothing wrong with recycling an idea from an artist you admire, so long as you're not simply stealing that idea and passing it off as your own.
  The idea is stolen wholesale from the United States, where civic engagement is a part of everyday life and local democracy a thriving concept.
  ‘We're not giving the details out at present because if we did that, others would steal the ideas before we launched,’ said Spowart.
  I hope Peter Levinson doesn't mind too much if I steal his idea, but I just came across this quote, and it's too good to pass up.
  One of the advantages of being a manager with responsibility for appointing staff is that you get to see lots of other people's CVs and can steal good ideas for presentation and phraseology.
  Headteachers are renowned for stealing good ideas from other schools and I am all for that.
  Research institutions that would normally be loath to patent are doing so defensively in order to prevent the corpocrats stealing their ideas.
  So, instead, like all good creative types, I stole an idea.
  I'm not saying what it's about because I don't want anyone to steal the idea.
  A judge at the High Court in London rejected allegations by two historians that Brown had stolen ideas from their book The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail.
  I can't tell you too many details, cos someone out there might steal my ideas before I have time to finish my recipe book!
  If we let other countries steal those ideas from us and then make them at a fraction of the cost, you know, that is undercutting our industry.
  I wonder how long it will take for the government to steal the idea and start pushing it?
  Christofi refused to name the exact bacteria for fear rival microbiologists might steal the idea, which the university patented late last month.
  You definitely want to prevent anybody from stealing your brilliant idea.
  Synonyms
  plagiarize, copy, pass off as one's own, infringe the copyright of, pirate, poach, borrow, appropriate
  informal rip off, lift, pinch, nick, crib
2. 1.2 Take the opportunity to give or share (a kiss) when it is not expected or when people are not watching.
  偷吻
  he stole kisses in shop doorways
  在商店的门口他偷偷地接吻。
  Example sentencesExamples
  He was sure she was too overcome with emotion to answer, and while she sat in stunned silence, he stole a chaste kiss.
  After they tackled the door and left, not a moment after, did the door reopen and Spencer stole another kiss.
  Before entering the classroom, Darien stole a kiss, which Josie didn't refuse.
  The puppy love story in the film - Chava falls in love with a girl more or less his age and they steal kisses once or twice - is too pat and conventional.
  After a few days, the curious glances and whispers subsided when students saw Mark and Joy holding hands or stealing a brief kiss in the hallways.
  In one of the rare moments of calmness, Joe sang Unchained Melody and some of the lucky ladies in the front row stole a kiss from Ireland's most eligible bachelor.
  He didn't give me a chance to answer before he pressed his lips against mine and stole a quick kiss.
  A Skipton man was fined by magistrates for assaulting a policewoman on the from Leeds train - by trying to steal a kiss.
  As a matter of fact, the husband-to-be is even allowed to steal a kiss as he presents his wife-to-be with a bouquet of roses.
  The young woman, whose first name was Elizabeth, blushed and stole a quick kiss.
  Brian took advantage of the opportunity to steal a quick kiss, only making her cheeks tun a brighter red.
  She's a real tease, taunting him to steal a kiss or cop a feel.
  It all happened too quickly, the way he stole that tender first kiss.
  Now her boyfriend Adam Brown, 21, is keeping a close watch on possible rivals to make sure they don't try and steal a kiss from his girl.
  So as I walked through the tunnel beneath the platforms I saw Mary and Howard stealing their kiss and standing on the platform I remembered the moment the express train flew through.
  Ben and Liz have been eyeing each other up for a while and during the afternoon they share a few sweet stolen kisses while Kristy dozes in the shade.
  He would have stolen a kiss on her cheek, but she pulled away gently to smile at him.
  Before Sasha could do anything, Dylan stole another kiss.
  Adam wrapped his arms around her waist and then gently stole a kiss.
  She goes to a local dance, where she's swept off her feet by a handsome and worldly pilot who steals a kiss as they walk outside.
  Synonyms
  snatch, sneak, obtain stealthily, get surreptitiously
3. 1.3 (in various sports) gain (an advantage, a run, or possession of the ball) unexpectedly or by exploiting the temporary distraction of an opponent.
  （体育运动中）意外赢得；（利用对手暂时的分心）巧占先机
  he stole the ball from Kevin Scott to run on and score his seventh League goal
  Example sentencesExamples
  Much of Keighley's good work was, however, wasted by careless play in the rucks which led to stolen possession by the eager Wheatley Hills forwards.
  The first thing is that your kids need to understand that stealing the ball and or taking it from the defender is not the prime objective.
  The line-out was stolen and the ball whipped out to Smith.
  The object of this drill is to pass the ball to each other without the defensive man touching, deflecting, or stealing the ball.
  They won their final five games, and since the rest of the conference went to sleep, they stole home-field advantage for the play-offs.
  Back on court playing marking, Deenside managed a quick steal.
  In the Triangular series being played in Australia Pakistan stole a run in the last ball of the match before the ball got to the keeper, to beat India by one run and thereby hangs a tale.
  United's Chris Smith spotted a half-chance and raced in to steal possession and prod the ball home.
  Players can, however, steal the ball out of the hands of their opponents as long as they do not make contact with the player himself.
  Scotland gave away a single steal in the sixth and then a further three in the seventh when Martin's last draw shot was too light and wrecked on front stones.
  As in the first period Newbury started vigorously but it was Kern Yates who added to the score with a try after Sedgley stole the ball in a maul.
  However, his colleagues failed him moments later, and to their cost, as the visitors stole an advantage.
  In a game, if the dribbler turns his back to the basket and his defender, the next closest defender should leave his man and go steal the ball.
  It wasn't long before the Cougars were over, Colin Pickles brilliantly stealing the ball in a one-on-one tackle and racing in at the corner.
  Henin-Hardenne gets right round the net post to steal advantage again and sweeps the ball past the Russian on the next point to break.
  The last line of defence, Magnus Hedman, rushes out, gets down early and steals the ball of the Bayern striker's toe.
  Scarborough failed to find their jumper in the line-out and Yarnbury stole possession.
  Lauer added a deserved third eight minutes into the third period after Scott Allison had stolen possession and danced clear of Storm's bewildered defencemen.
  Every time he stole the ball, he would make a hurried turnover.
  When his teammates stole the ball, he was ready to cherry-pick the play at half court and go in for the uncontested dunk.
4. 1.4Baseball Run to (a base) while the pitcher is in the act of delivery.
  〔棒球〕偷垒
  he claims he can steal a hundred bases this season
  Example sentencesExamples
  He tried to steal third base in the fifth inning, only to discover it was already occupied by a teammate.
  Payton then attempted to steal second base and the shortstop was caught off guard.
  The number of bases that are stolen against a pitcher will be proportional to the number of pitches that it takes him to dispose of a batter.
  He is a complete player that has enough speed to steal bases and cover right field for the Philadelphia Phillies.
  In the ninth inning of a tie game, he was thrown out trying to steal third base with one out when he already was in scoring position.
2no object, with adverbial of direction Move somewhere quietly or surreptitiously.
偷偷地向…移动，秘密地向…移动
he stole down to the kitchen
他偷偷地走向厨房。
she disobeyed a court order and stole away with the children
figurative a delicious languor was stealing over her
〈喻〉一种愉悦的倦怠之情悄悄地涌进她的心头。
Example sentencesExamples
- She stole quietly from her bed in the small room in the small apartment.
- He stole quietly into Mass at St Aidan's in Enniscorthy, and did not concelebrate the Easter homily at 12.30 yesterday on Roe Street in Wexford town.
- I'd stolen quietly toward her door deciding almost in mirthful amusement that she might indeed be napping.
- My question still had not been answered, however; who could the shadowy figure stealing quietly through the forest have been?
- Quietly, she stole out of bed and made her way to the door.
- I stole quietly to my Grandma's bedroom and flipped the lamp on, simultaneously grabbing the phone.
- Did he quietly steal away, never letting the beast know he was there?
- Within moments, the two friends were on their mounts and stealing quietly away into the night.
Synonyms
creep, sneak, slink, slip, slither, slide, glide, sidle, slope, edge, move furtively, tiptoe, pussyfoot, pad, prowl
abscond, decamp, make off, run off, run away, flee, bolt, take off, take flight, disappear, vanish, slip away, sneak away, beat a hasty retreat, escape, make a run for it, make one's getaway, leave, depart, make oneself scarce
informal split, scram, skedaddle, vamoose, skip, cut and run, make tracks, push off, shove off, clear off, hightail it, hotfoot it, show a clean pair of heels, do a bunk, do a runner, do a moonlight flit, do a disappearing act, head for the hills, fly the coop, take French leave, go AWOL
British informal scarper
North American informal take a powder, go on the lam, light out, bug out, peel out, cut out
British informal, dated hook it
1. 2.1with object and adverbial of direction Direct (a look) quickly and unobtrusively.
  偷偷地看，偷偷地瞟
  he stole a furtive glance at her
  他偷偷地看了她一眼。
  Example sentencesExamples
  He finished with my skates and I continued to steal looks at him as he tied my cousin's skates.
  I stole a look at one of the hijackers, who could only have been about 17, with acne scars on his jaw and neck.
  I stole a glimpse of her face from the corner of my right eye.
  Words on the blue T-shirt worn by a young woman in our coach, I swear I stole looks at it only to get these words down correctly.
  A grandmother trots past flat-footed, the baby jogging on her back stealing the look of me.
  Helicopters, carrying photographers determined to steal a glimpse of the occupants, hovered low overhead.
  I opened the passenger door and stole a glimpse from behind.
  Maya stole a look at her mother's and Jenny's face.
  She stole a look at Eric, but he was expressionless.
  She stole a look in Nathan's direction and met his eye, slightly tipping her head in James's direction.
  It was only later, by stealing a look into her medical chart that I found out her new diagnosis: lymphoma.
  I can only assume that Harry has somehow managed to make his way to David Hockney's studio and steal a glimpse of The Massacre and the Problems of Depiction.
  She stole a quick look at her wardrobe and picked a long flowing skirt that ended a little below her ankles, she wore an off-shoulder and she wore her hair in a French braid.
  Those lucky enough to steal a glimpse while the church was closed for renovations had reported that his frescoes were truly magnificent.
  While the servants were cleaning up, I noticed that Itrenore was stealing some looks toward me.
  Wished you had something new and unique to wear that will steal a look from those around, when you go to a party?
  He stole a quick look at Julie who only smiled and shook her head.
  He had been stealing furtive looks in her direction for the whole time his conversation with the other girls was taking place.
  As I neared Trey's Porsche, I stole a quick look over my shoulder.
  Calla stole a quick look behind her and saw that there was nothing there.

noun stiːlstil

1informal A bargain.
〈非正式〉便宜货，廉价品
at £59.95 it's an absolute steal
才59.95英镑，确实是便宜。
Example sentencesExamples
- On that basis, at just a tenner, the XFX corded pad is an absolute steal, representing a comfortable and technically excellent product at a top-notch price.
- At the price of $34.00, this rare item is an absolute steal.
- Admittedly, I have not yet tasted one with the multi-layered complexity of the great Burgundies, but even so a drinkable Pinot Noir for under a tenner is a real steal.
- I know it's a lot, but for an established information brokerage with underworld contacts and everything it's an absolute steal.
- You normally get a free one-year no quibble guarantee from the manufacturer of electrical goods anyway, so a one-year free warranty might not be quite such a steal.
- Mention the starting price of 22,000 and this starts to sound like the steal of the century - but there's a but.
- The ticket price includes a glass of wine - a steal at $8.
- It all gets going at 10 p.m., and at $45, including an Elevation promo CD, this is a steal.
- With the government picking up the pension liabilities, it would be a steal.
- Moreover, a £5,000 wage for ‘part-time’ York councillors is a steal, given the demands on their time.
- On a cosy little cul-de-sac off O'Malley Park, it's got to be a steal!
- There is always a table d'hôte and, at $6.95 for lunch, it's a steal.
- Only seven left, and at just £10 a pop, an absolute steal.
- It is not only a steal for those interested in setting up homes with aesthetic designs but also an opportunity for the upcoming artists to reach out to the masses.
- Served with lettuce dripped with delicious balsamic vinegar and a few kalamata olives, it was a steal for $3.50.
- She scrounged together the money, but then saw the most gorgeous pair of boots on sale - a steal at $400.
- IT wasn't exactly a steal for the buyers but the auction of Martin Cahill's former home didn't represent daylight robbery by the sellers either.
- On the Friday night, we ate a superb meal: the champagne five-course dinner - a steal at £25 a head.
- We started with a pound of fresh mussels - a steal at $4.95.
- The tax is only $8 and that's a steal for the show you'll get.
Synonyms
good buy, cheap buy
2North American An act of stealing something.
〈主北美〉偷盗，行窃
New York's biggest art steal
纽约市最大的艺术品偷盗案。
Example sentencesExamples
- And the art of the steal - gun-toting thieves make off with a masterpiece while shocked museum - goers watched.
Synonyms
theft, robbery, raid, ram raid, burglary, larceny, thievery, break-in, hold-up
embezzlement, misappropriation, swindle, fraud
in India or Burma dacoity
informal snatch, pinch, smash-and-grab (raid), stick-up, mugging, job
British informal blag
North American informal heist
rare peculation, defalcation
1. 2.1 An idea taken from another work.
  剽窃
  the chorus is a steal from The Smiths' ‘London’
  那个合唱曲剽窃自《史密斯家的“伦敦”》。
  Example sentencesExamples
  We also rang New Idea to see if they were spitting chips over the steal, but they didn't get back to us.
2. 2.2Baseball An act of stealing a base.
  〈主北美〉偷盗，行窃
  Example sentencesExamples
  Four singles, two of them in the infield, a steal, a wild pitch, a hit batsman, four more runs.
  No matter how maddening a baserunner might be, a steal remains 90 feet.
  His steal of third base in the fourth and deciding game of the ALDS didn't get as much pub as I thought was warranted.
  Novikoff, called the Mad Russian, one day made a great steal of third base.
  Lacy argued that he was misled by Stello when the arbiter pumped him out at second during an apparent steal attempt.
3. 2.3Hockey Basketball An act of taking possession of the ball or puck from an opponent.
  he finished with eight points, four steals, and seven assists

Phrases

steal someone blind

informal Rob or cheat someone in a comprehensive or merciless way.
〈非正式〉无情地抢劫；彻底地欺骗
Example sentencesExamples
- They better hang around and make sure that our databases aren't giving out private information, and that my employees and consultants aren't stealing me blind somehow.
- Even as the bandits and kidnappers find creatively hideous ways of ‘earning’ a better living, we have among us corporate crooks who are stealing us blind.
- I'd better get back on the floor before those raccoons steal me blind.
- She will tell you how she watches your garden for you so ‘those bad hoodlum children’ don't steal you blind.
- Her main modus operandi was to create a false sense of trust with unsuspecting employers and new friends, using the fake identities, and later stealing them blind.
- They extort taxes from the rest ‘legally’ and steal them blind ‘illegally’, especially if the country produces cash crops, minerals or oil.
- Still, almost every week, various baddies steal Jimmy blind and threaten to bring down plague.
- I'm 88 years old, and he stole me blind over Social Security.
- But again, the staff of the hotel didn't merely steal me blind.
- The fear he inspires is not that he will steal you blind and corrupt your morals.
Synonyms
cheat, swindle, defraud, fleece, dispossess

steal a march on

Gain an advantage over (someone) by acting before they do.
占先机，抢先而获得优势
stores that open on Sunday are stealing a march on their competitors
星期天营业的商店比它们的竞争者更有优势。
Example sentencesExamples
- They completely redesigned the way they do things, which allowed them to steal a march on their high-street competitors to become a global brand.
- Toy manufacturers, always keen to steal a march on their rivals, were quick to use the latest materials and fabrication techniques.
- ‘I think we stole a march on the others,’ recalls Freedman, now an independent consultant.
- The big stores tried stealing a march on each other by starting sales before Christmas but on the market we have done pretty well and it's still carrying on now.
- As the battle for the contract hotted up yesterday, Ryanair stole a march on the rest of the field by unveiling its detailed plans for the new terminal.
- The year is 1958 and America is set to launch its first satellite in an attempt to steal a march on the Soviet Sputnik and regain supremacy in the space race.
- These changes need to happen - it will be painful - but Scotland cannot continue to stand by idly and watch our global competitors steal a march on us.
- Lufthansa has done well to steal a march on other airlines wanting to adopt this leading-edge communication service.
- It enabled the men from Manchester to escape with all three points and steal a march on all their rivals.
- Whatever the result at Starbeck, three points at Glasshoughton will steal a march on at least one of their rivals as the title race hots up.
Synonyms
pre-empt, get in before, get ahead of, steal a march on, anticipate, second-guess, nip in the bud, thwart, frustrate, foil, stave off, ward off, fend off, avert, preclude, obviate, prevent, intercept, check, block, hinder, impede, obstruct

steal someone's heart

Win someone's love.
赢得…的爱
Example sentencesExamples
- More than simply winning Horse of the Year honors, that spunky mustang stole my heart.
- You know that song that comes along once in a blue moon and takes your breath, and steals your heart, away?
- Long before Diana emerged, we knew yet another princess who stole Hollywood 's heart before she enchanted the south of France.
- If you really are a thief, out to steal my heart, then you'd better have a good lawyer.
- In April he stole the nation 's heart by completing the slowest ever London marathon in a 130 lb antique divers suit.
- A big well done, to young Justin, from the U - 6 category who stole the judge 's heart, and emerged with gold in the Solo Waltz.
- This journey takes him to a small city where he comes across Kamala, a Devadasi woman, who steals his heart.
- Not your average cruising vessel, perhaps, but one that steals your heart after two hours on board nonetheless.
- He is a magnificent looking animal with a nature to match - beware, once you see him, he will steal your heart away.
- I could not believe one day any man in the world can stole my heart and love me and I love him back.

steal the show

Attract the most attention and praise.
吸引注意力；赢得赞扬
Example sentencesExamples
- He and Paul Scheer stole the show with their crazy cell-phone, moustached antics.
- A most delightful and charming young person she stole the show, because with her personality we all just fell in love with her.
- She was joined by Sunanda and Viswanath but it was Mitra who stole the show with his impeccable rendering of Ghantasala songs.
- Anna described her younger sister as vivacious and ‘always stealing the show,’ which meant the attention of her parents and other adults.
- There was general agreement that Mayor Collins stole the show.
- Star of the line dancers was 8 year old Sonia Henry who stole the show.
- Does he want to steal the show and be the center of attention?
- He stole the show with his attack on the Opposition parties.
- It was Nagendra Shaw and his team who stole the show afterwards.
- The most talkative mimics of the parrot kingdom, the gray parrot, Pssitacus erithacus, stole the show.
Synonyms
be the centre of attention, get all the attention, attract the most attention, be the focus of attention, be the main attraction, be the outstanding feature, put the others in the shade, be the high point, be the high spot, be the best part, have all eyes on one, be the cynosure

steal someone's thunder

Win praise for oneself by pre-empting someone else's attempt to impress.
在别人试图留下印象前赢得称赞
Example sentencesExamples
- But senior officers stole their thunder by revealing for the first time estimates of the funding needed for the new centre.
- The Rajguru, the king's main political advisor, is a man with a colossal ego and doesn't like Raman stealing his thunder.
- Upright and shapely, this tree is best seen on its own, away from other plants that might steal its thunder.
- Not even a trombone is permitted to steal the tuba 's thunder.
- In their obituaries, media pundits blame competition from other magazines, broadsheets stealing their thunder, and internet publishing.
- However, Mosley stole their thunder by confronting them with a number of new proposals as soon as the official meeting began.
- However, in an apparent copycat career move, Lindsay is also recording her own debut album, which some say is another attempt to steal Duff 's thunder.
- Convinced that Paul was stealing his thunder, if not his soul, John fought his resentment with numbness.
- They might finally be overcoming the trauma of having him steal their thunder on most issues.
- ‘No wonder the poets are so hostile to us,’ scientists could say: ‘We stole their thunder.’

Derivatives

stealable

adjective

He had no idea the value of the barometer but it looked easily stealable and was insecurely fastened.
Example sentencesExamples
- Young, confused, and seeking my own voice, I needed not only all the helpful examples I could scrounge up but also a little-known source of readily stealable graphic ideas.
- Folders in cabinet are eminently stealable.
- Even as UN forces surveyed the town, rebel fighters stripped off, carted away and stacked corrugated iron roofs from huts - removing some of the last stealable goods.
- Without a doubt the most stealable item is the mobile phone.

stealer

noun ˈstiːləˈstilər

in combination a sheep-stealer
Example sentencesExamples
- That journal is nothing but a bunch of copyright stealers, plagiarists and intellectual thieves.
- Well, clouded in mystery, always hiding the secrets of royalties, politicians and priceless wine stealers, Evksinograd still is one of the pearls at the Bulgarian Black Sea coast.
- A Irish Times journalist claims that they are descended from the remnants of sheep stealers who resided in the Slieve Blooms in hiding from the forces of Queen Elizabeth I.
- They were traditionally viewed as inspirational artists, musicians, and dancers - and as thieves, horse stealers, and witches.
- There is a ‘black sheep’ website offering a shortcut to people who want to trace their descent from a highwayman, cattle stealer or convict.

Origin

Old English stelan (verb), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch stelen and German stehlen.

Steal has two basic but connected senses: ‘take dishonestly’ and ‘go secretly’. If someone steals your thunder they win attention for themselves by pre-empting your attempt to impress. The source of this expression is surprisingly literal. The English dramatist John Dennis (1657–1734) invented a new method of simulating the sound of thunder as a theatrical sound effect and used it in his unsuccessful play Appius and Virginia. Shortly after he heard the same thunder effects used at a performance of Shakespeare's Macbeth. Dennis was understandably furious. ‘Damn them!’, he fumed, ‘they will not let my play run, but they steal my thunder!’ Stealth (Middle English) is closely connected and originally meant ‘theft’, and the phrase by stealth meant ‘by theft’ in late medieval English. The modern meaning of stealth evolved by homing in on all the furtiveness and secrecy associated with stealing. Stalk [LOE] as in ‘to stalk game’ is another relative, originally meaning ‘walk cautiously or stealthily’. The stalk of a plant (Middle English) is unconnected and may be a form of dialect stale ‘rung of a ladder, long handle’.

Rhymes

allele, anele, anneal, appeal, Bastille, Beale, Castile, chenille, cochineal, cockatiel, conceal, congeal, creel, deal, eel, Emile, feel, freewheel, genteel, Guayaquil, heal, heel, he'll, keel, Kiel, kneel, leal, Lille, Lucille, manchineel, meal, misdeal, Neil, O'Neill, ordeal, peal, peel, reel, schlemiel, seal, seel, she'll, spiel, squeal, steel, Steele, teal, underseal, veal, weal, we'll, wheel, zeal

Definition of steal in US English:

steal

verbstilstēl

1with object Take (another person's property) without permission or legal right and without intending to return it.
偷盗，窃取
thieves stole her bicycle
小偷偷了她的自行车。
stolen goods
失窃货物。
no object she was found guilty of stealing from her employers
因偷盗雇主的东西她被判盗窃罪。
Example sentencesExamples
- An officer arrived the next day just as the builders discovered the thieves had returned and stolen some of the new tiles.
- The numbers are then held on a database which is only accessible to the police, so that stolen property can be identified and returned to its owner.
- The newspaper was trying to stir up a row about the morality of allowing criminals to ransom stolen property.
- Where property is stolen, no beneficial interest passes to the thief.
- He was found guilty of the charge of receiving stolen property and received a 30-day jail sentence, which was suspended.
- All three were charged with stealing personal property in broad daylight and causing a nuisance to society.
- A 72-year-old grandfather has been convicted after police investigating a ram-raid gang found stolen property at his home.
- Any sensible legal system has to rely in part on sanctions brought to bear after people have stolen property or looted corporations.
- In instances where property is stolen, thieves can and will be traced, and dealt with accordingly.
- If you rent, buy renter's insurance, which pays for damaged, destroyed or stolen personal property.
- Those who are fans of gangster movies will know that the practice of selling stolen property is known as fencing.
- Music companies are the first to wage a wide-scale attack against people who steal digital property over the Net.
- Police have warned householders not to leave easy pickings for burglars following a spate of crimes where property was stolen after windows and doors were left unlocked.
- Each is charged with seven felony counts of selling stolen property.
- He said police would like to hear from anyone with information about burglaries or stolen property.
- Documents, purses and property were stolen in a spate of attacks.
- The villain who was stealing the property was let off by the police.
- On the night of 6-7 February 1988 the flat was burgled and a considerable amount of property was stolen.
- Also charged with burglary and handling stolen property, Irvine was refused bail because of an irregularity in his visa.
Synonyms
theft, thieving, thievery, robbery, larceny, burglary, shoplifting, pilfering, pilferage, looting, appropriation, misappropriation
purloin, thieve, take, take for oneself, help oneself to, loot, pilfer, abscond with, run off with, appropriate, abstract, carry off, shoplift
1. 1.1 Dishonestly pass off (another person's ideas) as one's own.
  剽窃
  accusations that one group had stolen ideas from the other were soon flying
  一个团体从另外一个团体剽窃想法的指控迅速传播开来。
  Example sentencesExamples
  Not only that, they are more likely to take bribes, sleep their way to the top, steal the ideas of a colleague and pass them off as their own or to resort to character assassination.
  So, instead, like all good creative types, I stole an idea.
  I wonder how long it will take for the government to steal the idea and start pushing it?
  If we let other countries steal those ideas from us and then make them at a fraction of the cost, you know, that is undercutting our industry.
  Now, there's nothing wrong with recycling an idea from an artist you admire, so long as you're not simply stealing that idea and passing it off as your own.
  So in the time-honoured tradition of capitalism, I'm going to steal their idea and offer my own solutions, at a cut rate of course.
  The idea is stolen wholesale from the United States, where civic engagement is a part of everyday life and local democracy a thriving concept.
  You definitely want to prevent anybody from stealing your brilliant idea.
  Research institutions that would normally be loath to patent are doing so defensively in order to prevent the corpocrats stealing their ideas.
  One of the advantages of being a manager with responsibility for appointing staff is that you get to see lots of other people's CVs and can steal good ideas for presentation and phraseology.
  Headteachers are renowned for stealing good ideas from other schools and I am all for that.
  But since you won't see that until midseason, Fox went ahead and stole the idea.
  I hope Peter Levinson doesn't mind too much if I steal his idea, but I just came across this quote, and it's too good to pass up.
  A judge at the High Court in London rejected allegations by two historians that Brown had stolen ideas from their book The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail.
  Other manufacturers steal the idea and Stevenson loses a three-year court battle to have his patent honoured.
  I can't tell you too many details, cos someone out there might steal my ideas before I have time to finish my recipe book!
  Their greatest fear: someone else might steal their idea.
  Christofi refused to name the exact bacteria for fear rival microbiologists might steal the idea, which the university patented late last month.
  ‘We're not giving the details out at present because if we did that, others would steal the ideas before we launched,’ said Spowart.
  I'm not saying what it's about because I don't want anyone to steal the idea.
  Synonyms
  plagiarize, copy, pass off as one's own, infringe the copyright of, pirate, poach, borrow, appropriate
2. 1.2 Take the opportunity to give or share (a kiss) when it is not expected or when people are not watching.
  偷吻
  he was allowed to steal a kiss in the darkness
  Example sentencesExamples
  It all happened too quickly, the way he stole that tender first kiss.
  Adam wrapped his arms around her waist and then gently stole a kiss.
  Now her boyfriend Adam Brown, 21, is keeping a close watch on possible rivals to make sure they don't try and steal a kiss from his girl.
  Before Sasha could do anything, Dylan stole another kiss.
  So as I walked through the tunnel beneath the platforms I saw Mary and Howard stealing their kiss and standing on the platform I remembered the moment the express train flew through.
  The young woman, whose first name was Elizabeth, blushed and stole a quick kiss.
  She goes to a local dance, where she's swept off her feet by a handsome and worldly pilot who steals a kiss as they walk outside.
  The puppy love story in the film - Chava falls in love with a girl more or less his age and they steal kisses once or twice - is too pat and conventional.
  He was sure she was too overcome with emotion to answer, and while she sat in stunned silence, he stole a chaste kiss.
  A Skipton man was fined by magistrates for assaulting a policewoman on the from Leeds train - by trying to steal a kiss.
  In one of the rare moments of calmness, Joe sang Unchained Melody and some of the lucky ladies in the front row stole a kiss from Ireland's most eligible bachelor.
  He would have stolen a kiss on her cheek, but she pulled away gently to smile at him.
  Brian took advantage of the opportunity to steal a quick kiss, only making her cheeks tun a brighter red.
  He didn't give me a chance to answer before he pressed his lips against mine and stole a quick kiss.
  She's a real tease, taunting him to steal a kiss or cop a feel.
  After they tackled the door and left, not a moment after, did the door reopen and Spencer stole another kiss.
  Ben and Liz have been eyeing each other up for a while and during the afternoon they share a few sweet stolen kisses while Kristy dozes in the shade.
  Before entering the classroom, Darien stole a kiss, which Josie didn't refuse.
  As a matter of fact, the husband-to-be is even allowed to steal a kiss as he presents his wife-to-be with a bouquet of roses.
  After a few days, the curious glances and whispers subsided when students saw Mark and Joy holding hands or stealing a brief kiss in the hallways.
  Synonyms
  snatch, sneak, obtain stealthily, get surreptitiously
3. 1.3 (in various sports) gain (an advantage, a run, or possession of the ball) unexpectedly or by exploiting the temporary distraction of an opponent.
  （体育运动中）意外赢得；（利用对手暂时的分心）巧占先机
  Example sentencesExamples
  The last line of defence, Magnus Hedman, rushes out, gets down early and steals the ball of the Bayern striker's toe.
  Much of Keighley's good work was, however, wasted by careless play in the rucks which led to stolen possession by the eager Wheatley Hills forwards.
  In the Triangular series being played in Australia Pakistan stole a run in the last ball of the match before the ball got to the keeper, to beat India by one run and thereby hangs a tale.
  Lauer added a deserved third eight minutes into the third period after Scott Allison had stolen possession and danced clear of Storm's bewildered defencemen.
  However, his colleagues failed him moments later, and to their cost, as the visitors stole an advantage.
  The first thing is that your kids need to understand that stealing the ball and or taking it from the defender is not the prime objective.
  Players can, however, steal the ball out of the hands of their opponents as long as they do not make contact with the player himself.
  Back on court playing marking, Deenside managed a quick steal.
  Scotland gave away a single steal in the sixth and then a further three in the seventh when Martin's last draw shot was too light and wrecked on front stones.
  When his teammates stole the ball, he was ready to cherry-pick the play at half court and go in for the uncontested dunk.
  United's Chris Smith spotted a half-chance and raced in to steal possession and prod the ball home.
  The line-out was stolen and the ball whipped out to Smith.
  As in the first period Newbury started vigorously but it was Kern Yates who added to the score with a try after Sedgley stole the ball in a maul.
  They won their final five games, and since the rest of the conference went to sleep, they stole home-field advantage for the play-offs.
  Henin-Hardenne gets right round the net post to steal advantage again and sweeps the ball past the Russian on the next point to break.
  It wasn't long before the Cougars were over, Colin Pickles brilliantly stealing the ball in a one-on-one tackle and racing in at the corner.
  In a game, if the dribbler turns his back to the basket and his defender, the next closest defender should leave his man and go steal the ball.
  Scarborough failed to find their jumper in the line-out and Yarnbury stole possession.
  Every time he stole the ball, he would make a hurried turnover.
  The object of this drill is to pass the ball to each other without the defensive man touching, deflecting, or stealing the ball.
4. 1.4Baseball (of a base runner) advance safely to (the next base) by running to it as the pitcher begins the delivery.
  Rickey stole third base
  Example sentencesExamples
  He is a complete player that has enough speed to steal bases and cover right field for the Philadelphia Phillies.
  In the ninth inning of a tie game, he was thrown out trying to steal third base with one out when he already was in scoring position.
  Payton then attempted to steal second base and the shortstop was caught off guard.
  He tried to steal third base in the fifth inning, only to discover it was already occupied by a teammate.
  The number of bases that are stolen against a pitcher will be proportional to the number of pitches that it takes him to dispose of a batter.
2no object, with adverbial of direction Move somewhere quietly or surreptitiously.
偷偷地向…移动，秘密地向…移动
he stole down to the kitchen
他偷偷地走向厨房。
figurative a delicious languor was stealing over her
〈喻〉一种愉悦的倦怠之情悄悄地涌进她的心头。
Example sentencesExamples
- My question still had not been answered, however; who could the shadowy figure stealing quietly through the forest have been?
- Quietly, she stole out of bed and made her way to the door.
- He stole quietly into Mass at St Aidan's in Enniscorthy, and did not concelebrate the Easter homily at 12.30 yesterday on Roe Street in Wexford town.
- I stole quietly to my Grandma's bedroom and flipped the lamp on, simultaneously grabbing the phone.
- She stole quietly from her bed in the small room in the small apartment.
- I'd stolen quietly toward her door deciding almost in mirthful amusement that she might indeed be napping.
- Did he quietly steal away, never letting the beast know he was there?
- Within moments, the two friends were on their mounts and stealing quietly away into the night.
Synonyms
creep, sneak, slink, slip, slither, slide, glide, sidle, slope, edge, move furtively, tiptoe, pussyfoot, pad, prowl
abscond, decamp, make off, run off, run away, flee, bolt, take off, take flight, disappear, vanish, slip away, sneak away, beat a hasty retreat, escape, make a run for it, make one's getaway, leave, depart, make oneself scarce
1. 2.1with object and adverbial of direction Direct (a look) quickly and unobtrusively.
  偷偷地看，偷偷地瞟
  he stole a furtive glance at her
  他偷偷地看了她一眼。
  Example sentencesExamples
  Maya stole a look at her mother's and Jenny's face.
  He finished with my skates and I continued to steal looks at him as he tied my cousin's skates.
  She stole a look in Nathan's direction and met his eye, slightly tipping her head in James's direction.
  While the servants were cleaning up, I noticed that Itrenore was stealing some looks toward me.
  I opened the passenger door and stole a glimpse from behind.
  She stole a quick look at her wardrobe and picked a long flowing skirt that ended a little below her ankles, she wore an off-shoulder and she wore her hair in a French braid.
  He had been stealing furtive looks in her direction for the whole time his conversation with the other girls was taking place.
  I stole a look at one of the hijackers, who could only have been about 17, with acne scars on his jaw and neck.
  I can only assume that Harry has somehow managed to make his way to David Hockney's studio and steal a glimpse of The Massacre and the Problems of Depiction.
  He stole a quick look at Julie who only smiled and shook her head.
  She stole a look at Eric, but he was expressionless.
  Those lucky enough to steal a glimpse while the church was closed for renovations had reported that his frescoes were truly magnificent.
  Calla stole a quick look behind her and saw that there was nothing there.
  Wished you had something new and unique to wear that will steal a look from those around, when you go to a party?
  It was only later, by stealing a look into her medical chart that I found out her new diagnosis: lymphoma.
  A grandmother trots past flat-footed, the baby jogging on her back stealing the look of me.
  I stole a glimpse of her face from the corner of my right eye.
  Helicopters, carrying photographers determined to steal a glimpse of the occupants, hovered low overhead.
  As I neared Trey's Porsche, I stole a quick look over my shoulder.
  Words on the blue T-shirt worn by a young woman in our coach, I swear I stole looks at it only to get these words down correctly.

nounstilstēl

1informal A bargain.
〈非正式〉便宜货，廉价品
for $5 it was a steal
Example sentencesExamples
- Only seven left, and at just £10 a pop, an absolute steal.
- IT wasn't exactly a steal for the buyers but the auction of Martin Cahill's former home didn't represent daylight robbery by the sellers either.
- It all gets going at 10 p.m., and at $45, including an Elevation promo CD, this is a steal.
- At the price of $34.00, this rare item is an absolute steal.
- We started with a pound of fresh mussels - a steal at $4.95.
- Moreover, a £5,000 wage for ‘part-time’ York councillors is a steal, given the demands on their time.
- She scrounged together the money, but then saw the most gorgeous pair of boots on sale - a steal at $400.
- Mention the starting price of 22,000 and this starts to sound like the steal of the century - but there's a but.
- With the government picking up the pension liabilities, it would be a steal.
- I know it's a lot, but for an established information brokerage with underworld contacts and everything it's an absolute steal.
- It is not only a steal for those interested in setting up homes with aesthetic designs but also an opportunity for the upcoming artists to reach out to the masses.
- The ticket price includes a glass of wine - a steal at $8.
- The tax is only $8 and that's a steal for the show you'll get.
- There is always a table d'hôte and, at $6.95 for lunch, it's a steal.
- You normally get a free one-year no quibble guarantee from the manufacturer of electrical goods anyway, so a one-year free warranty might not be quite such a steal.
- On a cosy little cul-de-sac off O'Malley Park, it's got to be a steal!
- Admittedly, I have not yet tasted one with the multi-layered complexity of the great Burgundies, but even so a drinkable Pinot Noir for under a tenner is a real steal.
- On that basis, at just a tenner, the XFX corded pad is an absolute steal, representing a comfortable and technically excellent product at a top-notch price.
- On the Friday night, we ate a superb meal: the champagne five-course dinner - a steal at £25 a head.
- Served with lettuce dripped with delicious balsamic vinegar and a few kalamata olives, it was a steal for $3.50.
Synonyms
good buy, cheap buy
2North American An act of stealing something.
〈主北美〉偷盗，行窃
New York's biggest art steal
纽约市最大的艺术品偷盗案。
Example sentencesExamples
- And the art of the steal - gun-toting thieves make off with a masterpiece while shocked museum - goers watched.
Synonyms
theft, robbery, raid, ram raid, burglary, larceny, thievery, break-in, hold-up
1. 2.1 An idea taken from another work.
  剽窃
  Example sentencesExamples
  We also rang New Idea to see if they were spitting chips over the steal, but they didn't get back to us.
2. 2.2Baseball An act of stealing a base.
  〈主北美〉偷盗，行窃
  Example sentencesExamples
  Four singles, two of them in the infield, a steal, a wild pitch, a hit batsman, four more runs.
  No matter how maddening a baserunner might be, a steal remains 90 feet.
  Lacy argued that he was misled by Stello when the arbiter pumped him out at second during an apparent steal attempt.
  His steal of third base in the fourth and deciding game of the ALDS didn't get as much pub as I thought was warranted.
  Novikoff, called the Mad Russian, one day made a great steal of third base.
3. 2.3Hockey Basketball An act of taking possession of the ball or puck from an opponent.
  point guard Kaleb Joseph finished with eight points, four steals, and seven assists

Phrases

steal someone blind

informal
see blind
Example sentencesExamples
- Still, almost every week, various baddies steal Jimmy blind and threaten to bring down plague.
- I'd better get back on the floor before those raccoons steal me blind.
- But again, the staff of the hotel didn't merely steal me blind.
- Even as the bandits and kidnappers find creatively hideous ways of ‘earning’ a better living, we have among us corporate crooks who are stealing us blind.
- The fear he inspires is not that he will steal you blind and corrupt your morals.
- Her main modus operandi was to create a false sense of trust with unsuspecting employers and new friends, using the fake identities, and later stealing them blind.
- I'm 88 years old, and he stole me blind over Social Security.
- They better hang around and make sure that our databases aren't giving out private information, and that my employees and consultants aren't stealing me blind somehow.
- She will tell you how she watches your garden for you so ‘those bad hoodlum children’ don't steal you blind.
- They extort taxes from the rest ‘legally’ and steal them blind ‘illegally’, especially if the country produces cash crops, minerals or oil.
Synonyms
cheat, swindle, defraud, fleece, dispossess

steal a march on

Gain an advantage over (someone) by acting before they do.
占先机，抢先而获得优势
stores that open on Sunday are stealing a march on their competitors
星期天营业的商店比它们的竞争者更有优势。
Example sentencesExamples
- ‘I think we stole a march on the others,’ recalls Freedman, now an independent consultant.
- Toy manufacturers, always keen to steal a march on their rivals, were quick to use the latest materials and fabrication techniques.
- Lufthansa has done well to steal a march on other airlines wanting to adopt this leading-edge communication service.
- The year is 1958 and America is set to launch its first satellite in an attempt to steal a march on the Soviet Sputnik and regain supremacy in the space race.
- They completely redesigned the way they do things, which allowed them to steal a march on their high-street competitors to become a global brand.
- Whatever the result at Starbeck, three points at Glasshoughton will steal a march on at least one of their rivals as the title race hots up.
- These changes need to happen - it will be painful - but Scotland cannot continue to stand by idly and watch our global competitors steal a march on us.
- As the battle for the contract hotted up yesterday, Ryanair stole a march on the rest of the field by unveiling its detailed plans for the new terminal.
- The big stores tried stealing a march on each other by starting sales before Christmas but on the market we have done pretty well and it's still carrying on now.
- It enabled the men from Manchester to escape with all three points and steal a march on all their rivals.
Synonyms
pre-empt, get in before, get ahead of, steal a march on, anticipate, second-guess, nip in the bud, thwart, frustrate, foil, stave off, ward off, fend off, avert, preclude, obviate, prevent, intercept, check, block, hinder, impede, obstruct

steal someone's heart

Win someone's love.
赢得…的爱
Example sentencesExamples
- Long before Diana emerged, we knew yet another princess who stole Hollywood 's heart before she enchanted the south of France.
- Not your average cruising vessel, perhaps, but one that steals your heart after two hours on board nonetheless.
- This journey takes him to a small city where he comes across Kamala, a Devadasi woman, who steals his heart.
- He is a magnificent looking animal with a nature to match - beware, once you see him, he will steal your heart away.
- A big well done, to young Justin, from the U - 6 category who stole the judge 's heart, and emerged with gold in the Solo Waltz.
- You know that song that comes along once in a blue moon and takes your breath, and steals your heart, away?
- If you really are a thief, out to steal my heart, then you'd better have a good lawyer.
- More than simply winning Horse of the Year honors, that spunky mustang stole my heart.
- I could not believe one day any man in the world can stole my heart and love me and I love him back.
- In April he stole the nation 's heart by completing the slowest ever London marathon in a 130 lb antique divers suit.

steal the show

Attract the most attention and praise.
吸引注意力；赢得赞扬
Example sentencesExamples
- There was general agreement that Mayor Collins stole the show.
- She was joined by Sunanda and Viswanath but it was Mitra who stole the show with his impeccable rendering of Ghantasala songs.
- He stole the show with his attack on the Opposition parties.
- Does he want to steal the show and be the center of attention?
- The most talkative mimics of the parrot kingdom, the gray parrot, Pssitacus erithacus, stole the show.
- He and Paul Scheer stole the show with their crazy cell-phone, moustached antics.
- Star of the line dancers was 8 year old Sonia Henry who stole the show.
- Anna described her younger sister as vivacious and ‘always stealing the show,’ which meant the attention of her parents and other adults.
- It was Nagendra Shaw and his team who stole the show afterwards.
- A most delightful and charming young person she stole the show, because with her personality we all just fell in love with her.
Synonyms
be the centre of attention, get all the attention, attract the most attention, be the focus of attention, be the main attraction, be the outstanding feature, put the others in the shade, be the high point, be the high spot, be the best part, have all eyes on one, be the cynosure

steal someone's thunder

Win praise for oneself by preempting someone else's attempt to impress.
在别人试图留下印象前赢得称赞
Example sentencesExamples
- Convinced that Paul was stealing his thunder, if not his soul, John fought his resentment with numbness.
- ‘No wonder the poets are so hostile to us,’ scientists could say: ‘We stole their thunder.’
- The Rajguru, the king's main political advisor, is a man with a colossal ego and doesn't like Raman stealing his thunder.
- They might finally be overcoming the trauma of having him steal their thunder on most issues.
- Upright and shapely, this tree is best seen on its own, away from other plants that might steal its thunder.
- In their obituaries, media pundits blame competition from other magazines, broadsheets stealing their thunder, and internet publishing.
- However, Mosley stole their thunder by confronting them with a number of new proposals as soon as the official meeting began.
- However, in an apparent copycat career move, Lindsay is also recording her own debut album, which some say is another attempt to steal Duff 's thunder.
- But senior officers stole their thunder by revealing for the first time estimates of the funding needed for the new centre.
- Not even a trombone is permitted to steal the tuba 's thunder.

Origin

Old English stelan (verb), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch stelen and German stehlen.

单词	steal
释义	Definition of steal in English: steal verbstolen, stole stiːlstil 1with object Take (another person's property) without permission or legal right and without intending to return it. 偷盗，窃取 thieves stole her bicycle 小偷偷了她的自行车。 stolen goods 失窃货物。 no object she was found guilty of stealing from her employers 因偷盗雇主的东西她被判盗窃罪。 Example sentencesExamples Each is charged with seven felony counts of selling stolen property. Music companies are the first to wage a wide-scale attack against people who steal digital property over the Net. Documents, purses and property were stolen in a spate of attacks. Also charged with burglary and handling stolen property, Irvine was refused bail because of an irregularity in his visa. On the night of 6-7 February 1988 the flat was burgled and a considerable amount of property was stolen. He said police would like to hear from anyone with information about burglaries or stolen property. Any sensible legal system has to rely in part on sanctions brought to bear after people have stolen property or looted corporations. The newspaper was trying to stir up a row about the morality of allowing criminals to ransom stolen property. In instances where property is stolen, thieves can and will be traced, and dealt with accordingly. Where property is stolen, no beneficial interest passes to the thief. An officer arrived the next day just as the builders discovered the thieves had returned and stolen some of the new tiles. The villain who was stealing the property was let off by the police. Police have warned householders not to leave easy pickings for burglars following a spate of crimes where property was stolen after windows and doors were left unlocked. If you rent, buy renter's insurance, which pays for damaged, destroyed or stolen personal property. All three were charged with stealing personal property in broad daylight and causing a nuisance to society. He was found guilty of the charge of receiving stolen property and received a 30-day jail sentence, which was suspended. Those who are fans of gangster movies will know that the practice of selling stolen property is known as fencing. The numbers are then held on a database which is only accessible to the police, so that stolen property can be identified and returned to its owner. A 72-year-old grandfather has been convicted after police investigating a ram-raid gang found stolen property at his home. Synonyms purloin, thieve, take, take for oneself, help oneself to, loot, pilfer, abscond with, run off with, appropriate, abstract, carry off, shoplift embezzle, misappropriate have one's fingers/hand in the till informal walk off/away with, run away/off with, rob, swipe, nab, rip off, lift, ‘liberate’, ‘borrow’, filch, snaffle, snitch, souvenir British informal nick, pinch, half-inch, whip, knock off, nobble, bone, scrump, blag North American informal heist, glom Australian informal snavel Australian dated, informal clifty West Indian informal tief archaic crib, hook rare peculate, defalcate (be stolen) informalwalk, go walkies theft, thieving, thievery, robbery, larceny, burglary, shoplifting, pilfering, pilferage, looting, appropriation, misappropriation embezzlement rare peculation, defalcation 1.1 Dishonestly pass off (another person's ideas) as one's own. 剽窃 accusations that one group had stolen ideas from the other were soon flying 一个团体从另外一个团体剽窃想法的指控迅速传播开来。 Example sentencesExamples So in the time-honoured tradition of capitalism, I'm going to steal their idea and offer my own solutions, at a cut rate of course. Their greatest fear: someone else might steal their idea. But since you won't see that until midseason, Fox went ahead and stole the idea. Other manufacturers steal the idea and Stevenson loses a three-year court battle to have his patent honoured. Not only that, they are more likely to take bribes, sleep their way to the top, steal the ideas of a colleague and pass them off as their own or to resort to character assassination. Now, there's nothing wrong with recycling an idea from an artist you admire, so long as you're not simply stealing that idea and passing it off as your own. The idea is stolen wholesale from the United States, where civic engagement is a part of everyday life and local democracy a thriving concept. ‘We're not giving the details out at present because if we did that, others would steal the ideas before we launched,’ said Spowart. I hope Peter Levinson doesn't mind too much if I steal his idea, but I just came across this quote, and it's too good to pass up. One of the advantages of being a manager with responsibility for appointing staff is that you get to see lots of other people's CVs and can steal good ideas for presentation and phraseology. Headteachers are renowned for stealing good ideas from other schools and I am all for that. Research institutions that would normally be loath to patent are doing so defensively in order to prevent the corpocrats stealing their ideas. So, instead, like all good creative types, I stole an idea. I'm not saying what it's about because I don't want anyone to steal the idea. A judge at the High Court in London rejected allegations by two historians that Brown had stolen ideas from their book The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail. I can't tell you too many details, cos someone out there might steal my ideas before I have time to finish my recipe book! If we let other countries steal those ideas from us and then make them at a fraction of the cost, you know, that is undercutting our industry. I wonder how long it will take for the government to steal the idea and start pushing it? Christofi refused to name the exact bacteria for fear rival microbiologists might steal the idea, which the university patented late last month. You definitely want to prevent anybody from stealing your brilliant idea. Synonyms plagiarize, copy, pass off as one's own, infringe the copyright of, pirate, poach, borrow, appropriate informal rip off, lift, pinch, nick, crib 1.2 Take the opportunity to give or share (a kiss) when it is not expected or when people are not watching. 偷吻 he stole kisses in shop doorways 在商店的门口他偷偷地接吻。 Example sentencesExamples He was sure she was too overcome with emotion to answer, and while she sat in stunned silence, he stole a chaste kiss. After they tackled the door and left, not a moment after, did the door reopen and Spencer stole another kiss. Before entering the classroom, Darien stole a kiss, which Josie didn't refuse. The puppy love story in the film - Chava falls in love with a girl more or less his age and they steal kisses once or twice - is too pat and conventional. After a few days, the curious glances and whispers subsided when students saw Mark and Joy holding hands or stealing a brief kiss in the hallways. In one of the rare moments of calmness, Joe sang Unchained Melody and some of the lucky ladies in the front row stole a kiss from Ireland's most eligible bachelor. He didn't give me a chance to answer before he pressed his lips against mine and stole a quick kiss. A Skipton man was fined by magistrates for assaulting a policewoman on the from Leeds train - by trying to steal a kiss. As a matter of fact, the husband-to-be is even allowed to steal a kiss as he presents his wife-to-be with a bouquet of roses. The young woman, whose first name was Elizabeth, blushed and stole a quick kiss. Brian took advantage of the opportunity to steal a quick kiss, only making her cheeks tun a brighter red. She's a real tease, taunting him to steal a kiss or cop a feel. It all happened too quickly, the way he stole that tender first kiss. Now her boyfriend Adam Brown, 21, is keeping a close watch on possible rivals to make sure they don't try and steal a kiss from his girl. So as I walked through the tunnel beneath the platforms I saw Mary and Howard stealing their kiss and standing on the platform I remembered the moment the express train flew through. Ben and Liz have been eyeing each other up for a while and during the afternoon they share a few sweet stolen kisses while Kristy dozes in the shade. He would have stolen a kiss on her cheek, but she pulled away gently to smile at him. Before Sasha could do anything, Dylan stole another kiss. Adam wrapped his arms around her waist and then gently stole a kiss. She goes to a local dance, where she's swept off her feet by a handsome and worldly pilot who steals a kiss as they walk outside. Synonyms snatch, sneak, obtain stealthily, get surreptitiously 1.3 (in various sports) gain (an advantage, a run, or possession of the ball) unexpectedly or by exploiting the temporary distraction of an opponent. （体育运动中）意外赢得；（利用对手暂时的分心）巧占先机 he stole the ball from Kevin Scott to run on and score his seventh League goal Example sentencesExamples Much of Keighley's good work was, however, wasted by careless play in the rucks which led to stolen possession by the eager Wheatley Hills forwards. The first thing is that your kids need to understand that stealing the ball and or taking it from the defender is not the prime objective. The line-out was stolen and the ball whipped out to Smith. The object of this drill is to pass the ball to each other without the defensive man touching, deflecting, or stealing the ball. They won their final five games, and since the rest of the conference went to sleep, they stole home-field advantage for the play-offs. Back on court playing marking, Deenside managed a quick steal. In the Triangular series being played in Australia Pakistan stole a run in the last ball of the match before the ball got to the keeper, to beat India by one run and thereby hangs a tale. United's Chris Smith spotted a half-chance and raced in to steal possession and prod the ball home. Players can, however, steal the ball out of the hands of their opponents as long as they do not make contact with the player himself. Scotland gave away a single steal in the sixth and then a further three in the seventh when Martin's last draw shot was too light and wrecked on front stones. As in the first period Newbury started vigorously but it was Kern Yates who added to the score with a try after Sedgley stole the ball in a maul. However, his colleagues failed him moments later, and to their cost, as the visitors stole an advantage. In a game, if the dribbler turns his back to the basket and his defender, the next closest defender should leave his man and go steal the ball. It wasn't long before the Cougars were over, Colin Pickles brilliantly stealing the ball in a one-on-one tackle and racing in at the corner. Henin-Hardenne gets right round the net post to steal advantage again and sweeps the ball past the Russian on the next point to break. The last line of defence, Magnus Hedman, rushes out, gets down early and steals the ball of the Bayern striker's toe. Scarborough failed to find their jumper in the line-out and Yarnbury stole possession. Lauer added a deserved third eight minutes into the third period after Scott Allison had stolen possession and danced clear of Storm's bewildered defencemen. Every time he stole the ball, he would make a hurried turnover. When his teammates stole the ball, he was ready to cherry-pick the play at half court and go in for the uncontested dunk. 1.4Baseball Run to (a base) while the pitcher is in the act of delivery. 〔棒球〕偷垒 he claims he can steal a hundred bases this season Example sentencesExamples He tried to steal third base in the fifth inning, only to discover it was already occupied by a teammate. Payton then attempted to steal second base and the shortstop was caught off guard. The number of bases that are stolen against a pitcher will be proportional to the number of pitches that it takes him to dispose of a batter. He is a complete player that has enough speed to steal bases and cover right field for the Philadelphia Phillies. In the ninth inning of a tie game, he was thrown out trying to steal third base with one out when he already was in scoring position. 2no object, with adverbial of direction Move somewhere quietly or surreptitiously. 偷偷地向…移动，秘密地向…移动 he stole down to the kitchen 他偷偷地走向厨房。 she disobeyed a court order and stole away with the children figurative a delicious languor was stealing over her 〈喻〉一种愉悦的倦怠之情悄悄地涌进她的心头。 Example sentencesExamples She stole quietly from her bed in the small room in the small apartment. He stole quietly into Mass at St Aidan's in Enniscorthy, and did not concelebrate the Easter homily at 12.30 yesterday on Roe Street in Wexford town. I'd stolen quietly toward her door deciding almost in mirthful amusement that she might indeed be napping. My question still had not been answered, however; who could the shadowy figure stealing quietly through the forest have been? Quietly, she stole out of bed and made her way to the door. I stole quietly to my Grandma's bedroom and flipped the lamp on, simultaneously grabbing the phone. Did he quietly steal away, never letting the beast know he was there? Within moments, the two friends were on their mounts and stealing quietly away into the night. Synonyms creep, sneak, slink, slip, slither, slide, glide, sidle, slope, edge, move furtively, tiptoe, pussyfoot, pad, prowl abscond, decamp, make off, run off, run away, flee, bolt, take off, take flight, disappear, vanish, slip away, sneak away, beat a hasty retreat, escape, make a run for it, make one's getaway, leave, depart, make oneself scarce informal split, scram, skedaddle, vamoose, skip, cut and run, make tracks, push off, shove off, clear off, hightail it, hotfoot it, show a clean pair of heels, do a bunk, do a runner, do a moonlight flit, do a disappearing act, head for the hills, fly the coop, take French leave, go AWOL British informal scarper North American informal take a powder, go on the lam, light out, bug out, peel out, cut out British informal, dated hook it 2.1with object and adverbial of direction Direct (a look) quickly and unobtrusively. 偷偷地看，偷偷地瞟 he stole a furtive glance at her 他偷偷地看了她一眼。 Example sentencesExamples He finished with my skates and I continued to steal looks at him as he tied my cousin's skates. I stole a look at one of the hijackers, who could only have been about 17, with acne scars on his jaw and neck. I stole a glimpse of her face from the corner of my right eye. Words on the blue T-shirt worn by a young woman in our coach, I swear I stole looks at it only to get these words down correctly. A grandmother trots past flat-footed, the baby jogging on her back stealing the look of me. Helicopters, carrying photographers determined to steal a glimpse of the occupants, hovered low overhead. I opened the passenger door and stole a glimpse from behind. Maya stole a look at her mother's and Jenny's face. She stole a look at Eric, but he was expressionless. She stole a look in Nathan's direction and met his eye, slightly tipping her head in James's direction. It was only later, by stealing a look into her medical chart that I found out her new diagnosis: lymphoma. I can only assume that Harry has somehow managed to make his way to David Hockney's studio and steal a glimpse of The Massacre and the Problems of Depiction. She stole a quick look at her wardrobe and picked a long flowing skirt that ended a little below her ankles, she wore an off-shoulder and she wore her hair in a French braid. Those lucky enough to steal a glimpse while the church was closed for renovations had reported that his frescoes were truly magnificent. While the servants were cleaning up, I noticed that Itrenore was stealing some looks toward me. Wished you had something new and unique to wear that will steal a look from those around, when you go to a party? He stole a quick look at Julie who only smiled and shook her head. He had been stealing furtive looks in her direction for the whole time his conversation with the other girls was taking place. As I neared Trey's Porsche, I stole a quick look over my shoulder. Calla stole a quick look behind her and saw that there was nothing there. noun stiːlstil 1informal A bargain. 〈非正式〉便宜货，廉价品 at £59.95 it's an absolute steal 才59.95英镑，确实是便宜。 Example sentencesExamples On that basis, at just a tenner, the XFX corded pad is an absolute steal, representing a comfortable and technically excellent product at a top-notch price. At the price of $34.00, this rare item is an absolute steal. Admittedly, I have not yet tasted one with the multi-layered complexity of the great Burgundies, but even so a drinkable Pinot Noir for under a tenner is a real steal. I know it's a lot, but for an established information brokerage with underworld contacts and everything it's an absolute steal. You normally get a free one-year no quibble guarantee from the manufacturer of electrical goods anyway, so a one-year free warranty might not be quite such a steal. Mention the starting price of 22,000 and this starts to sound like the steal of the century - but there's a but. The ticket price includes a glass of wine - a steal at $8. It all gets going at 10 p.m., and at $45, including an Elevation promo CD, this is a steal. With the government picking up the pension liabilities, it would be a steal. Moreover, a £5,000 wage for ‘part-time’ York councillors is a steal, given the demands on their time. On a cosy little cul-de-sac off O'Malley Park, it's got to be a steal! There is always a table d'hôte and, at $6.95 for lunch, it's a steal. Only seven left, and at just £10 a pop, an absolute steal. It is not only a steal for those interested in setting up homes with aesthetic designs but also an opportunity for the upcoming artists to reach out to the masses. Served with lettuce dripped with delicious balsamic vinegar and a few kalamata olives, it was a steal for $3.50. She scrounged together the money, but then saw the most gorgeous pair of boots on sale - a steal at $400. IT wasn't exactly a steal for the buyers but the auction of Martin Cahill's former home didn't represent daylight robbery by the sellers either. On the Friday night, we ate a superb meal: the champagne five-course dinner - a steal at £25 a head. We started with a pound of fresh mussels - a steal at $4.95. The tax is only $8 and that's a steal for the show you'll get. Synonyms good buy, cheap buy 2North American An act of stealing something. 〈主北美〉偷盗，行窃 New York's biggest art steal 纽约市最大的艺术品偷盗案。 Example sentencesExamples And the art of the steal - gun-toting thieves make off with a masterpiece while shocked museum - goers watched. Synonyms theft, robbery, raid, ram raid, burglary, larceny, thievery, break-in, hold-up embezzlement, misappropriation, swindle, fraud in India or Burma dacoity informal snatch, pinch, smash-and-grab (raid), stick-up, mugging, job British informal blag North American informal heist rare peculation, defalcation 2.1 An idea taken from another work. 剽窃 the chorus is a steal from The Smiths' ‘London’ 那个合唱曲剽窃自《史密斯家的“伦敦”》。 Example sentencesExamples We also rang New Idea to see if they were spitting chips over the steal, but they didn't get back to us. 2.2Baseball An act of stealing a base. 〈主北美〉偷盗，行窃 Example sentencesExamples Four singles, two of them in the infield, a steal, a wild pitch, a hit batsman, four more runs. No matter how maddening a baserunner might be, a steal remains 90 feet. His steal of third base in the fourth and deciding game of the ALDS didn't get as much pub as I thought was warranted. Novikoff, called the Mad Russian, one day made a great steal of third base. Lacy argued that he was misled by Stello when the arbiter pumped him out at second during an apparent steal attempt. 2.3Hockey Basketball An act of taking possession of the ball or puck from an opponent. he finished with eight points, four steals, and seven assists Phrases steal someone blind informal Rob or cheat someone in a comprehensive or merciless way. 〈非正式〉无情地抢劫；彻底地欺骗 Example sentencesExamples They better hang around and make sure that our databases aren't giving out private information, and that my employees and consultants aren't stealing me blind somehow. Even as the bandits and kidnappers find creatively hideous ways of ‘earning’ a better living, we have among us corporate crooks who are stealing us blind. I'd better get back on the floor before those raccoons steal me blind. She will tell you how she watches your garden for you so ‘those bad hoodlum children’ don't steal you blind. Her main modus operandi was to create a false sense of trust with unsuspecting employers and new friends, using the fake identities, and later stealing them blind. They extort taxes from the rest ‘legally’ and steal them blind ‘illegally’, especially if the country produces cash crops, minerals or oil. Still, almost every week, various baddies steal Jimmy blind and threaten to bring down plague. I'm 88 years old, and he stole me blind over Social Security. But again, the staff of the hotel didn't merely steal me blind. The fear he inspires is not that he will steal you blind and corrupt your morals. Synonyms cheat, swindle, defraud, fleece, dispossess steal a march on Gain an advantage over (someone) by acting before they do. 占先机，抢先而获得优势 stores that open on Sunday are stealing a march on their competitors 星期天营业的商店比它们的竞争者更有优势。 Example sentencesExamples They completely redesigned the way they do things, which allowed them to steal a march on their high-street competitors to become a global brand. Toy manufacturers, always keen to steal a march on their rivals, were quick to use the latest materials and fabrication techniques. ‘I think we stole a march on the others,’ recalls Freedman, now an independent consultant. The big stores tried stealing a march on each other by starting sales before Christmas but on the market we have done pretty well and it's still carrying on now. As the battle for the contract hotted up yesterday, Ryanair stole a march on the rest of the field by unveiling its detailed plans for the new terminal. The year is 1958 and America is set to launch its first satellite in an attempt to steal a march on the Soviet Sputnik and regain supremacy in the space race. These changes need to happen - it will be painful - but Scotland cannot continue to stand by idly and watch our global competitors steal a march on us. Lufthansa has done well to steal a march on other airlines wanting to adopt this leading-edge communication service. It enabled the men from Manchester to escape with all three points and steal a march on all their rivals. Whatever the result at Starbeck, three points at Glasshoughton will steal a march on at least one of their rivals as the title race hots up. Synonyms pre-empt, get in before, get ahead of, steal a march on, anticipate, second-guess, nip in the bud, thwart, frustrate, foil, stave off, ward off, fend off, avert, preclude, obviate, prevent, intercept, check, block, hinder, impede, obstruct steal someone's heart Win someone's love. 赢得…的爱 Example sentencesExamples More than simply winning Horse of the Year honors, that spunky mustang stole my heart. You know that song that comes along once in a blue moon and takes your breath, and steals your heart, away? Long before Diana emerged, we knew yet another princess who stole Hollywood 's heart before she enchanted the south of France. If you really are a thief, out to steal my heart, then you'd better have a good lawyer. In April he stole the nation 's heart by completing the slowest ever London marathon in a 130 lb antique divers suit. A big well done, to young Justin, from the U - 6 category who stole the judge 's heart, and emerged with gold in the Solo Waltz. This journey takes him to a small city where he comes across Kamala, a Devadasi woman, who steals his heart. Not your average cruising vessel, perhaps, but one that steals your heart after two hours on board nonetheless. He is a magnificent looking animal with a nature to match - beware, once you see him, he will steal your heart away. I could not believe one day any man in the world can stole my heart and love me and I love him back. steal the show Attract the most attention and praise. 吸引注意力；赢得赞扬 Example sentencesExamples He and Paul Scheer stole the show with their crazy cell-phone, moustached antics. A most delightful and charming young person she stole the show, because with her personality we all just fell in love with her. She was joined by Sunanda and Viswanath but it was Mitra who stole the show with his impeccable rendering of Ghantasala songs. Anna described her younger sister as vivacious and ‘always stealing the show,’ which meant the attention of her parents and other adults. There was general agreement that Mayor Collins stole the show. Star of the line dancers was 8 year old Sonia Henry who stole the show. Does he want to steal the show and be the center of attention? He stole the show with his attack on the Opposition parties. It was Nagendra Shaw and his team who stole the show afterwards. The most talkative mimics of the parrot kingdom, the gray parrot, Pssitacus erithacus, stole the show. Synonyms be the centre of attention, get all the attention, attract the most attention, be the focus of attention, be the main attraction, be the outstanding feature, put the others in the shade, be the high point, be the high spot, be the best part, have all eyes on one, be the cynosure steal someone's thunder Win praise for oneself by pre-empting someone else's attempt to impress. 在别人试图留下印象前赢得称赞 Example sentencesExamples But senior officers stole their thunder by revealing for the first time estimates of the funding needed for the new centre. The Rajguru, the king's main political advisor, is a man with a colossal ego and doesn't like Raman stealing his thunder. Upright and shapely, this tree is best seen on its own, away from other plants that might steal its thunder. Not even a trombone is permitted to steal the tuba 's thunder. In their obituaries, media pundits blame competition from other magazines, broadsheets stealing their thunder, and internet publishing. However, Mosley stole their thunder by confronting them with a number of new proposals as soon as the official meeting began. However, in an apparent copycat career move, Lindsay is also recording her own debut album, which some say is another attempt to steal Duff 's thunder. Convinced that Paul was stealing his thunder, if not his soul, John fought his resentment with numbness. They might finally be overcoming the trauma of having him steal their thunder on most issues. ‘No wonder the poets are so hostile to us,’ scientists could say: ‘We stole their thunder.’ Derivatives stealable adjective He had no idea the value of the barometer but it looked easily stealable and was insecurely fastened. Example sentencesExamples Young, confused, and seeking my own voice, I needed not only all the helpful examples I could scrounge up but also a little-known source of readily stealable graphic ideas. Folders in cabinet are eminently stealable. Even as UN forces surveyed the town, rebel fighters stripped off, carted away and stacked corrugated iron roofs from huts - removing some of the last stealable goods. Without a doubt the most stealable item is the mobile phone. stealer noun ˈstiːləˈstilər in combination a sheep-stealer Example sentencesExamples That journal is nothing but a bunch of copyright stealers, plagiarists and intellectual thieves. Well, clouded in mystery, always hiding the secrets of royalties, politicians and priceless wine stealers, Evksinograd still is one of the pearls at the Bulgarian Black Sea coast. A Irish Times journalist claims that they are descended from the remnants of sheep stealers who resided in the Slieve Blooms in hiding from the forces of Queen Elizabeth I. They were traditionally viewed as inspirational artists, musicians, and dancers - and as thieves, horse stealers, and witches. There is a ‘black sheep’ website offering a shortcut to people who want to trace their descent from a highwayman, cattle stealer or convict. Origin Old English stelan (verb), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch stelen and German stehlen. Steal has two basic but connected senses: ‘take dishonestly’ and ‘go secretly’. If someone steals your thunder they win attention for themselves by pre-empting your attempt to impress. The source of this expression is surprisingly literal. The English dramatist John Dennis (1657–1734) invented a new method of simulating the sound of thunder as a theatrical sound effect and used it in his unsuccessful play Appius and Virginia. Shortly after he heard the same thunder effects used at a performance of Shakespeare's Macbeth. Dennis was understandably furious. ‘Damn them!’, he fumed, ‘they will not let my play run, but they steal my thunder!’ Stealth (Middle English) is closely connected and originally meant ‘theft’, and the phrase by stealth meant ‘by theft’ in late medieval English. The modern meaning of stealth evolved by homing in on all the furtiveness and secrecy associated with stealing. Stalk [LOE] as in ‘to stalk game’ is another relative, originally meaning ‘walk cautiously or stealthily’. The stalk of a plant (Middle English) is unconnected and may be a form of dialect stale ‘rung of a ladder, long handle’. Rhymes allele, anele, anneal, appeal, Bastille, Beale, Castile, chenille, cochineal, cockatiel, conceal, congeal, creel, deal, eel, Emile, feel, freewheel, genteel, Guayaquil, heal, heel, he'll, keel, Kiel, kneel, leal, Lille, Lucille, manchineel, meal, misdeal, Neil, O'Neill, ordeal, peal, peel, reel, schlemiel, seal, seel, she'll, spiel, squeal, steel, Steele, teal, underseal, veal, weal, we'll, wheel, zeal verb.1 phr. Definition of steal in US English: steal verbstilstēl 1with object Take (another person's property) without permission or legal right and without intending to return it. 偷盗，窃取 thieves stole her bicycle 小偷偷了她的自行车。 stolen goods 失窃货物。 no object she was found guilty of stealing from her employers 因偷盗雇主的东西她被判盗窃罪。 Example sentencesExamples An officer arrived the next day just as the builders discovered the thieves had returned and stolen some of the new tiles. The numbers are then held on a database which is only accessible to the police, so that stolen property can be identified and returned to its owner. The newspaper was trying to stir up a row about the morality of allowing criminals to ransom stolen property. Where property is stolen, no beneficial interest passes to the thief. He was found guilty of the charge of receiving stolen property and received a 30-day jail sentence, which was suspended. All three were charged with stealing personal property in broad daylight and causing a nuisance to society. A 72-year-old grandfather has been convicted after police investigating a ram-raid gang found stolen property at his home. Any sensible legal system has to rely in part on sanctions brought to bear after people have stolen property or looted corporations. In instances where property is stolen, thieves can and will be traced, and dealt with accordingly. If you rent, buy renter's insurance, which pays for damaged, destroyed or stolen personal property. Those who are fans of gangster movies will know that the practice of selling stolen property is known as fencing. Music companies are the first to wage a wide-scale attack against people who steal digital property over the Net. Police have warned householders not to leave easy pickings for burglars following a spate of crimes where property was stolen after windows and doors were left unlocked. Each is charged with seven felony counts of selling stolen property. He said police would like to hear from anyone with information about burglaries or stolen property. Documents, purses and property were stolen in a spate of attacks. The villain who was stealing the property was let off by the police. On the night of 6-7 February 1988 the flat was burgled and a considerable amount of property was stolen. Also charged with burglary and handling stolen property, Irvine was refused bail because of an irregularity in his visa. Synonyms theft, thieving, thievery, robbery, larceny, burglary, shoplifting, pilfering, pilferage, looting, appropriation, misappropriation purloin, thieve, take, take for oneself, help oneself to, loot, pilfer, abscond with, run off with, appropriate, abstract, carry off, shoplift 1.1 Dishonestly pass off (another person's ideas) as one's own. 剽窃 accusations that one group had stolen ideas from the other were soon flying 一个团体从另外一个团体剽窃想法的指控迅速传播开来。 Example sentencesExamples Not only that, they are more likely to take bribes, sleep their way to the top, steal the ideas of a colleague and pass them off as their own or to resort to character assassination. So, instead, like all good creative types, I stole an idea. I wonder how long it will take for the government to steal the idea and start pushing it? If we let other countries steal those ideas from us and then make them at a fraction of the cost, you know, that is undercutting our industry. Now, there's nothing wrong with recycling an idea from an artist you admire, so long as you're not simply stealing that idea and passing it off as your own. So in the time-honoured tradition of capitalism, I'm going to steal their idea and offer my own solutions, at a cut rate of course. The idea is stolen wholesale from the United States, where civic engagement is a part of everyday life and local democracy a thriving concept. You definitely want to prevent anybody from stealing your brilliant idea. Research institutions that would normally be loath to patent are doing so defensively in order to prevent the corpocrats stealing their ideas. One of the advantages of being a manager with responsibility for appointing staff is that you get to see lots of other people's CVs and can steal good ideas for presentation and phraseology. Headteachers are renowned for stealing good ideas from other schools and I am all for that. But since you won't see that until midseason, Fox went ahead and stole the idea. I hope Peter Levinson doesn't mind too much if I steal his idea, but I just came across this quote, and it's too good to pass up. A judge at the High Court in London rejected allegations by two historians that Brown had stolen ideas from their book The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail. Other manufacturers steal the idea and Stevenson loses a three-year court battle to have his patent honoured. I can't tell you too many details, cos someone out there might steal my ideas before I have time to finish my recipe book! Their greatest fear: someone else might steal their idea. Christofi refused to name the exact bacteria for fear rival microbiologists might steal the idea, which the university patented late last month. ‘We're not giving the details out at present because if we did that, others would steal the ideas before we launched,’ said Spowart. I'm not saying what it's about because I don't want anyone to steal the idea. Synonyms plagiarize, copy, pass off as one's own, infringe the copyright of, pirate, poach, borrow, appropriate 1.2 Take the opportunity to give or share (a kiss) when it is not expected or when people are not watching. 偷吻 he was allowed to steal a kiss in the darkness Example sentencesExamples It all happened too quickly, the way he stole that tender first kiss. Adam wrapped his arms around her waist and then gently stole a kiss. Now her boyfriend Adam Brown, 21, is keeping a close watch on possible rivals to make sure they don't try and steal a kiss from his girl. Before Sasha could do anything, Dylan stole another kiss. So as I walked through the tunnel beneath the platforms I saw Mary and Howard stealing their kiss and standing on the platform I remembered the moment the express train flew through. The young woman, whose first name was Elizabeth, blushed and stole a quick kiss. She goes to a local dance, where she's swept off her feet by a handsome and worldly pilot who steals a kiss as they walk outside. The puppy love story in the film - Chava falls in love with a girl more or less his age and they steal kisses once or twice - is too pat and conventional. He was sure she was too overcome with emotion to answer, and while she sat in stunned silence, he stole a chaste kiss. A Skipton man was fined by magistrates for assaulting a policewoman on the from Leeds train - by trying to steal a kiss. In one of the rare moments of calmness, Joe sang Unchained Melody and some of the lucky ladies in the front row stole a kiss from Ireland's most eligible bachelor. He would have stolen a kiss on her cheek, but she pulled away gently to smile at him. Brian took advantage of the opportunity to steal a quick kiss, only making her cheeks tun a brighter red. He didn't give me a chance to answer before he pressed his lips against mine and stole a quick kiss. She's a real tease, taunting him to steal a kiss or cop a feel. After they tackled the door and left, not a moment after, did the door reopen and Spencer stole another kiss. Ben and Liz have been eyeing each other up for a while and during the afternoon they share a few sweet stolen kisses while Kristy dozes in the shade. Before entering the classroom, Darien stole a kiss, which Josie didn't refuse. As a matter of fact, the husband-to-be is even allowed to steal a kiss as he presents his wife-to-be with a bouquet of roses. After a few days, the curious glances and whispers subsided when students saw Mark and Joy holding hands or stealing a brief kiss in the hallways. Synonyms snatch, sneak, obtain stealthily, get surreptitiously 1.3 (in various sports) gain (an advantage, a run, or possession of the ball) unexpectedly or by exploiting the temporary distraction of an opponent. （体育运动中）意外赢得；（利用对手暂时的分心）巧占先机 Example sentencesExamples The last line of defence, Magnus Hedman, rushes out, gets down early and steals the ball of the Bayern striker's toe. Much of Keighley's good work was, however, wasted by careless play in the rucks which led to stolen possession by the eager Wheatley Hills forwards. In the Triangular series being played in Australia Pakistan stole a run in the last ball of the match before the ball got to the keeper, to beat India by one run and thereby hangs a tale. Lauer added a deserved third eight minutes into the third period after Scott Allison had stolen possession and danced clear of Storm's bewildered defencemen. However, his colleagues failed him moments later, and to their cost, as the visitors stole an advantage. The first thing is that your kids need to understand that stealing the ball and or taking it from the defender is not the prime objective. Players can, however, steal the ball out of the hands of their opponents as long as they do not make contact with the player himself. Back on court playing marking, Deenside managed a quick steal. Scotland gave away a single steal in the sixth and then a further three in the seventh when Martin's last draw shot was too light and wrecked on front stones. When his teammates stole the ball, he was ready to cherry-pick the play at half court and go in for the uncontested dunk. United's Chris Smith spotted a half-chance and raced in to steal possession and prod the ball home. The line-out was stolen and the ball whipped out to Smith. As in the first period Newbury started vigorously but it was Kern Yates who added to the score with a try after Sedgley stole the ball in a maul. They won their final five games, and since the rest of the conference went to sleep, they stole home-field advantage for the play-offs. Henin-Hardenne gets right round the net post to steal advantage again and sweeps the ball past the Russian on the next point to break. It wasn't long before the Cougars were over, Colin Pickles brilliantly stealing the ball in a one-on-one tackle and racing in at the corner. In a game, if the dribbler turns his back to the basket and his defender, the next closest defender should leave his man and go steal the ball. Scarborough failed to find their jumper in the line-out and Yarnbury stole possession. Every time he stole the ball, he would make a hurried turnover. The object of this drill is to pass the ball to each other without the defensive man touching, deflecting, or stealing the ball. 1.4Baseball (of a base runner) advance safely to (the next base) by running to it as the pitcher begins the delivery. Rickey stole third base Example sentencesExamples He is a complete player that has enough speed to steal bases and cover right field for the Philadelphia Phillies. In the ninth inning of a tie game, he was thrown out trying to steal third base with one out when he already was in scoring position. Payton then attempted to steal second base and the shortstop was caught off guard. He tried to steal third base in the fifth inning, only to discover it was already occupied by a teammate. The number of bases that are stolen against a pitcher will be proportional to the number of pitches that it takes him to dispose of a batter. 2no object, with adverbial of direction Move somewhere quietly or surreptitiously. 偷偷地向…移动，秘密地向…移动 he stole down to the kitchen 他偷偷地走向厨房。 figurative a delicious languor was stealing over her 〈喻〉一种愉悦的倦怠之情悄悄地涌进她的心头。 Example sentencesExamples My question still had not been answered, however; who could the shadowy figure stealing quietly through the forest have been? Quietly, she stole out of bed and made her way to the door. He stole quietly into Mass at St Aidan's in Enniscorthy, and did not concelebrate the Easter homily at 12.30 yesterday on Roe Street in Wexford town. I stole quietly to my Grandma's bedroom and flipped the lamp on, simultaneously grabbing the phone. She stole quietly from her bed in the small room in the small apartment. I'd stolen quietly toward her door deciding almost in mirthful amusement that she might indeed be napping. Did he quietly steal away, never letting the beast know he was there? Within moments, the two friends were on their mounts and stealing quietly away into the night. Synonyms creep, sneak, slink, slip, slither, slide, glide, sidle, slope, edge, move furtively, tiptoe, pussyfoot, pad, prowl abscond, decamp, make off, run off, run away, flee, bolt, take off, take flight, disappear, vanish, slip away, sneak away, beat a hasty retreat, escape, make a run for it, make one's getaway, leave, depart, make oneself scarce 2.1with object and adverbial of direction Direct (a look) quickly and unobtrusively. 偷偷地看，偷偷地瞟 he stole a furtive glance at her 他偷偷地看了她一眼。 Example sentencesExamples Maya stole a look at her mother's and Jenny's face. He finished with my skates and I continued to steal looks at him as he tied my cousin's skates. She stole a look in Nathan's direction and met his eye, slightly tipping her head in James's direction. While the servants were cleaning up, I noticed that Itrenore was stealing some looks toward me. I opened the passenger door and stole a glimpse from behind. She stole a quick look at her wardrobe and picked a long flowing skirt that ended a little below her ankles, she wore an off-shoulder and she wore her hair in a French braid. He had been stealing furtive looks in her direction for the whole time his conversation with the other girls was taking place. I stole a look at one of the hijackers, who could only have been about 17, with acne scars on his jaw and neck. I can only assume that Harry has somehow managed to make his way to David Hockney's studio and steal a glimpse of The Massacre and the Problems of Depiction. He stole a quick look at Julie who only smiled and shook her head. She stole a look at Eric, but he was expressionless. Those lucky enough to steal a glimpse while the church was closed for renovations had reported that his frescoes were truly magnificent. Calla stole a quick look behind her and saw that there was nothing there. Wished you had something new and unique to wear that will steal a look from those around, when you go to a party? It was only later, by stealing a look into her medical chart that I found out her new diagnosis: lymphoma. A grandmother trots past flat-footed, the baby jogging on her back stealing the look of me. I stole a glimpse of her face from the corner of my right eye. Helicopters, carrying photographers determined to steal a glimpse of the occupants, hovered low overhead. As I neared Trey's Porsche, I stole a quick look over my shoulder. Words on the blue T-shirt worn by a young woman in our coach, I swear I stole looks at it only to get these words down correctly. nounstilstēl 1informal A bargain. 〈非正式〉便宜货，廉价品 for $5 it was a steal Example sentencesExamples Only seven left, and at just £10 a pop, an absolute steal. IT wasn't exactly a steal for the buyers but the auction of Martin Cahill's former home didn't represent daylight robbery by the sellers either. It all gets going at 10 p.m., and at $45, including an Elevation promo CD, this is a steal. At the price of $34.00, this rare item is an absolute steal. We started with a pound of fresh mussels - a steal at $4.95. Moreover, a £5,000 wage for ‘part-time’ York councillors is a steal, given the demands on their time. She scrounged together the money, but then saw the most gorgeous pair of boots on sale - a steal at $400. Mention the starting price of 22,000 and this starts to sound like the steal of the century - but there's a but. With the government picking up the pension liabilities, it would be a steal. I know it's a lot, but for an established information brokerage with underworld contacts and everything it's an absolute steal. It is not only a steal for those interested in setting up homes with aesthetic designs but also an opportunity for the upcoming artists to reach out to the masses. The ticket price includes a glass of wine - a steal at $8. The tax is only $8 and that's a steal for the show you'll get. There is always a table d'hôte and, at $6.95 for lunch, it's a steal. You normally get a free one-year no quibble guarantee from the manufacturer of electrical goods anyway, so a one-year free warranty might not be quite such a steal. On a cosy little cul-de-sac off O'Malley Park, it's got to be a steal! Admittedly, I have not yet tasted one with the multi-layered complexity of the great Burgundies, but even so a drinkable Pinot Noir for under a tenner is a real steal. On that basis, at just a tenner, the XFX corded pad is an absolute steal, representing a comfortable and technically excellent product at a top-notch price. On the Friday night, we ate a superb meal: the champagne five-course dinner - a steal at £25 a head. Served with lettuce dripped with delicious balsamic vinegar and a few kalamata olives, it was a steal for $3.50. Synonyms good buy, cheap buy 2North American An act of stealing something. 〈主北美〉偷盗，行窃 New York's biggest art steal 纽约市最大的艺术品偷盗案。 Example sentencesExamples And the art of the steal - gun-toting thieves make off with a masterpiece while shocked museum - goers watched. Synonyms theft, robbery, raid, ram raid, burglary, larceny, thievery, break-in, hold-up 2.1 An idea taken from another work. 剽窃 Example sentencesExamples We also rang New Idea to see if they were spitting chips over the steal, but they didn't get back to us. 2.2Baseball An act of stealing a base. 〈主北美〉偷盗，行窃 Example sentencesExamples Four singles, two of them in the infield, a steal, a wild pitch, a hit batsman, four more runs. No matter how maddening a baserunner might be, a steal remains 90 feet. Lacy argued that he was misled by Stello when the arbiter pumped him out at second during an apparent steal attempt. His steal of third base in the fourth and deciding game of the ALDS didn't get as much pub as I thought was warranted. Novikoff, called the Mad Russian, one day made a great steal of third base. 2.3Hockey Basketball An act of taking possession of the ball or puck from an opponent. point guard Kaleb Joseph finished with eight points, four steals, and seven assists Phrases steal someone blind informal see blind Example sentencesExamples Still, almost every week, various baddies steal Jimmy blind and threaten to bring down plague. I'd better get back on the floor before those raccoons steal me blind. But again, the staff of the hotel didn't merely steal me blind. Even as the bandits and kidnappers find creatively hideous ways of ‘earning’ a better living, we have among us corporate crooks who are stealing us blind. The fear he inspires is not that he will steal you blind and corrupt your morals. Her main modus operandi was to create a false sense of trust with unsuspecting employers and new friends, using the fake identities, and later stealing them blind. I'm 88 years old, and he stole me blind over Social Security. They better hang around and make sure that our databases aren't giving out private information, and that my employees and consultants aren't stealing me blind somehow. She will tell you how she watches your garden for you so ‘those bad hoodlum children’ don't steal you blind. They extort taxes from the rest ‘legally’ and steal them blind ‘illegally’, especially if the country produces cash crops, minerals or oil. Synonyms cheat, swindle, defraud, fleece, dispossess steal a march on Gain an advantage over (someone) by acting before they do. 占先机，抢先而获得优势 stores that open on Sunday are stealing a march on their competitors 星期天营业的商店比它们的竞争者更有优势。 Example sentencesExamples ‘I think we stole a march on the others,’ recalls Freedman, now an independent consultant. Toy manufacturers, always keen to steal a march on their rivals, were quick to use the latest materials and fabrication techniques. Lufthansa has done well to steal a march on other airlines wanting to adopt this leading-edge communication service. The year is 1958 and America is set to launch its first satellite in an attempt to steal a march on the Soviet Sputnik and regain supremacy in the space race. They completely redesigned the way they do things, which allowed them to steal a march on their high-street competitors to become a global brand. Whatever the result at Starbeck, three points at Glasshoughton will steal a march on at least one of their rivals as the title race hots up. These changes need to happen - it will be painful - but Scotland cannot continue to stand by idly and watch our global competitors steal a march on us. As the battle for the contract hotted up yesterday, Ryanair stole a march on the rest of the field by unveiling its detailed plans for the new terminal. The big stores tried stealing a march on each other by starting sales before Christmas but on the market we have done pretty well and it's still carrying on now. It enabled the men from Manchester to escape with all three points and steal a march on all their rivals. Synonyms pre-empt, get in before, get ahead of, steal a march on, anticipate, second-guess, nip in the bud, thwart, frustrate, foil, stave off, ward off, fend off, avert, preclude, obviate, prevent, intercept, check, block, hinder, impede, obstruct steal someone's heart Win someone's love. 赢得…的爱 Example sentencesExamples Long before Diana emerged, we knew yet another princess who stole Hollywood 's heart before she enchanted the south of France. Not your average cruising vessel, perhaps, but one that steals your heart after two hours on board nonetheless. This journey takes him to a small city where he comes across Kamala, a Devadasi woman, who steals his heart. He is a magnificent looking animal with a nature to match - beware, once you see him, he will steal your heart away. A big well done, to young Justin, from the U - 6 category who stole the judge 's heart, and emerged with gold in the Solo Waltz. You know that song that comes along once in a blue moon and takes your breath, and steals your heart, away? If you really are a thief, out to steal my heart, then you'd better have a good lawyer. More than simply winning Horse of the Year honors, that spunky mustang stole my heart. I could not believe one day any man in the world can stole my heart and love me and I love him back. In April he stole the nation 's heart by completing the slowest ever London marathon in a 130 lb antique divers suit. steal the show Attract the most attention and praise. 吸引注意力；赢得赞扬 Example sentencesExamples There was general agreement that Mayor Collins stole the show. She was joined by Sunanda and Viswanath but it was Mitra who stole the show with his impeccable rendering of Ghantasala songs. He stole the show with his attack on the Opposition parties. Does he want to steal the show and be the center of attention? The most talkative mimics of the parrot kingdom, the gray parrot, Pssitacus erithacus, stole the show. He and Paul Scheer stole the show with their crazy cell-phone, moustached antics. Star of the line dancers was 8 year old Sonia Henry who stole the show. Anna described her younger sister as vivacious and ‘always stealing the show,’ which meant the attention of her parents and other adults. It was Nagendra Shaw and his team who stole the show afterwards. A most delightful and charming young person she stole the show, because with her personality we all just fell in love with her. Synonyms be the centre of attention, get all the attention, attract the most attention, be the focus of attention, be the main attraction, be the outstanding feature, put the others in the shade, be the high point, be the high spot, be the best part, have all eyes on one, be the cynosure steal someone's thunder Win praise for oneself by preempting someone else's attempt to impress. 在别人试图留下印象前赢得称赞 Example sentencesExamples Convinced that Paul was stealing his thunder, if not his soul, John fought his resentment with numbness. ‘No wonder the poets are so hostile to us,’ scientists could say: ‘We stole their thunder.’ The Rajguru, the king's main political advisor, is a man with a colossal ego and doesn't like Raman stealing his thunder. They might finally be overcoming the trauma of having him steal their thunder on most issues. Upright and shapely, this tree is best seen on its own, away from other plants that might steal its thunder. In their obituaries, media pundits blame competition from other magazines, broadsheets stealing their thunder, and internet publishing. However, Mosley stole their thunder by confronting them with a number of new proposals as soon as the official meeting began. However, in an apparent copycat career move, Lindsay is also recording her own debut album, which some say is another attempt to steal Duff 's thunder. But senior officers stole their thunder by revealing for the first time estimates of the funding needed for the new centre. Not even a trombone is permitted to steal the tuba 's thunder. Origin Old English stelan (verb), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch stelen and German stehlen. verb.1 phr.
随便看	rushed off one's feet rushee rushen rusher rushers rushes rushes rush family rush fences rush for rush grass rush-grown rush holder rush hour rush hours rushiness rushing rushing rushing about rushing bases rushingly rushingly rushingness rushings rush job