purloin

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for May 8, 2007 is: purloin • \per-LOYN\ • verb : to appropriate wrongfully and often by a breach of trust Examples: Carol discovered that Mike had purloined her idea for her essay and used it in his own paper. Did you know? "Purloin," "pilfer," and "filch" may just seem like fancy words for "steal," but each has a slightly different connotation. "Pilfer" implies stealing repeatedly in small amounts, as in this sentence: "It was months before her boss realized she was pilfering office supplies." "Filch" adds a suggestion of snatching quickly and surreptitiously (e.g., "He filched an apple from the tray"). "Purloin" stresses removing or carrying off something for one's own use or purposes ("She purloined the manuscript and tried to pass it off as her own work"). See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.