What's the difference between pilfer and steal?

Pilfer


Definition:

  • (v. i.) To steal in small quantities, or articles of small value; to practice petty theft.
  • (v. t.) To take by petty theft; to filch; to steal little by little.

Example Sentences:

  • (1) I first had stuffed vine leaves at my grandad's guesthouse in Southend, and deeply regret not pilfering his recipe before he passed away.
  • (2) Bavarian public gardens are regularly pilfered for their hydrangea flowers.
  • (3) Harry Kane’s third goal in four caps was crisply pilfered 10 minutes into his cameo.
  • (4) BITS AND BOBS A Colombian teacher has been accused of pilfering stickers from pupils to complete his own Panini World Cup album.
  • (5) Among the things she pilfered were a pair of white trainers belonging to Kelly.
  • (6) Once on a system, it would detect when a user was visiting a banking website, create fake login sections of that site and then pilfer banking logins.
  • (7) Gyles commission into productivity in the building industry in New South Wales In 1992 Roger Gyles QC described illegal activities in the NSW building industry, ranging from physical violence and a threat of physical violence at one end to petty pilfering of building materials at the other.
  • (8) Habré escaped, eventually to Senegal , with some $12m pilfered from national bank accounts, which he reportedly put towards the purchase of two mansions and, it is widely believed, enough Senegalese newspaper editors, police officials, religious leaders and politicians to keep the heat off for years to come.
  • (9) The significant weapons stockpiles, largely unguarded and unwatched, from which arms could easily be pilfered, provide the temptations of war for anyone who may see Gaddafi's overthrow as an opportunity to advance their agendas in non-democratic ways.
  • (10) The equaliser was pilfered on the break, Adebayor sending Roberto Soldado scurrying down the left, where he collected and conjured a glorious centre, which arced into the six-yard box for the Togolese to exploit space between Jos Hooiveld and Fox and volley home.
  • (11) There were "small incidents" with Roma accused of pilfering firewood or vegetables and other petty crime, but only 12 "petty larcenies" were reported to police during the first four months of 2011.
  • (12) Paglia accuses Gaga of stealing from Madonna, but Madge pilfered sounds and imagery from everyone from Marilyn Monroe to Daft Punk .
  • (13) Last week's episode of Midsomer Murders featured a grasping son and daughter pilfering money from their mother and bumping off their stepfather to disguise the crime.
  • (14) But there are also distinctions in the lower classes: the tension between the country servants, who feel part of a centuries-old tradition of duty, and the town servants, who see the ruling class as opponents to outwit in small victories of pilfering.
  • (15) Belgian monks hide their altarpieces, a swastika flag flutters in front of the Eiffel Tower, and Adolf Hitler is pilfering art from all over Europe to build a collection for his planned Führermuseum .
  • (16) A couple of weeks ago they were on the receiving end of an injustice here when Tottenham Hotspur pilfered a late winner.
  • (17) "Luxembourg is like the club member who enjoys all the benefits of membership while quietly pilfering from the kitty" Richard Brooks “It might be an underhand way to run a tax system, but it serves Luxembourg well.
  • (18) The granaries were pilfered with no account of why the stores were empty.
  • (19) It's ubiquitous at our tables, with dishes pilfered from all corners of the world – from creamy risottos to perfumed pilafs and paellas, sushi rolls and kedgeree – not to mention all manner of polystyrene-like crackers, cereals and "cakes".
  • (20) They allege that his holdings, including a luxurious seven-storey townhouse on one of Paris's most expensive streets and several dozen others apartments, must have been amassed by pilfering Syrian public funds and abusing power.

Steal


Definition:

  • (n.) A handle; a stale, or stele.
  • (v. t.) To take and carry away, feloniously; to take without right or leave, and with intent to keep wrongfully; as, to steal the personal goods of another.
  • (v. t.) To withdraw or convey clandestinely (reflexive); hence, to creep furtively, or to insinuate.
  • (v. t.) To gain by insinuating arts or covert means.
  • (v. t.) To get into one's power gradually and by imperceptible degrees; to take possession of by a gradual and imperceptible appropriation; -- with away.
  • (v. t.) To accomplish in a concealed or unobserved manner; to try to carry out secretly; as, to steal a look.
  • (v. i.) To practice, or be guilty of, theft; to commit larceny or theft.
  • (v. i.) To withdraw, or pass privily; to slip in, along, or away, unperceived; to go or come furtively.

Example Sentences:

  • (1) We determined to further clarify the mechanism of this transmural coronary "steal" employing intracoronary DP administration, thereby avoiding systemic hypotension.
  • (2) In the presence of peripheral vasodilatation, adequate blood flow can be expected after such bypass grafts at blood pressures as low as 80 millimeters of mercury and hypotension per se does not produce vascular steal.
  • (3) 'We were stealing money from our managers to buy vegetables to be able to survive.
  • (4) The combination of a carotid-basilar and a vertebro-vertebral collateral circulation was verified directly in a patient with a complete subclavian steal by means of transcranial Doppler ultrasonography.
  • (5) The second, less common type of steal is associated with isolated atresia of the proximal segment of the subclavian arteries.
  • (6) Jacoby Ellsbury goes to steal second, and the catcher Molina's throw isn't even close allowing Ellsbury to make it to third base with nobody out.
  • (7) Garfield has a history of making interesting choices and a knack for using his edgy watchfulness to steal scenes from some of the best actors in the business.
  • (8) There’s always other things you can do than stealing and that and running around with the same people,” he says.
  • (9) These chains have been stealing market share from bigger rivals, such as Tesco and Asda during the economic downturn.
  • (10) Camden Town is a creative business with a great range of brands that will complement our existing portfolio.” Mark Benner, managing director of the Society of Independent Brewers (Siba) said: “As craft beer continues to grow in popularity and steal market share we are likely to see more global brewers looking to take over craft breweries, something which makes membership to Siba even more important for breweries looking to differentiate themselves, as consumers look to seek out truly independent craft brewed beers.” • This article was amended on 21 December 2015 because Guinness is owned by Diageo, not SAB Miller as an earlier version said.
  • (11) Roger Kirkby: An infield single for Papi, lol Wait until he steals a base in this series.
  • (12) No patient developed evidence of an intracerebral steal at the higher arterial carbon dioxide tension.
  • (13) Chaffin’s sources say that, even as Elon Musk’s electronic car firm Tesla Motors is stealing away record numbers of employees from Apple , the house the Steves built is hiring Tesla employees right back – and specifically, “the kind of people from Tesla with expertise that is most suited to cars”.
  • (14) And if you're really funny, then provided you're not punching people when you come off, or stealing people's belongings, then you'll get a gig.
  • (15) One possible explanation for the lack of protective effect for isoflurane might be related to its vasodilative properties, which could result in a cerebral vascular steal.
  • (16) Even if Morgan is caught, people fear that his powerful backers in the army will find another militia to continue poaching and stealing gold.
  • (17) Concern over the extent of the News of the World's hacking of the phones of prominent people increased after it was revealed that the name of Brian Paddick , the former deputy assistant commissioner, was found on documents belonging to Glenn Mulcaire, the private investigator jailed for stealing secrets from mobile phone voice messages.
  • (18) Apple accuses Samsung of: • Stealing design ideas, features of iPad and iPhone.
  • (19) "It was the negligence of Shell which compelled people to steal.
  • (20) There was still time for Saborio to try an audacious lob from distance to steal the game, but Nielsen, who'd looked ponderous in his movements all game, was able to watch this one safely over.