steal
UK: stiːl | US: stiːl
vt. to take (another person's property) without permission or legal right
vi. to move or act secretly or unnoticed
n. an act of stealing; something acquired at a low cost or without effort
The word "steal" traces back to Old English stelan, derived from Proto-Germanic stelaną, meaning "to take secretly." This root is shared across Germanic languages (e.g., Dutch stelen, German stehlen). The core idea of clandestine taking has persisted, though the word later expanded to include metaphorical uses (e.g., "stealing a glance"). Unlike many modern English verbs, "steal" remains monomorphic—its ancient root is no longer divisible into smaller meaningful parts in contemporary spelling.
The thief tried to steal a wallet from the crowded train.
She stole a glance at her phone during the meeting.
The player stole the ball and scored a decisive goal.
This recipe is a steal at only five dollars.
Time steals away unnoticed when you're engrossed in work.