stealing - Master This Word
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stealing Word Meanings
- taken unlawfully
- removed without permission
- acquired through theft
stealing Example Sentences
Example sentences are the start of understanding. Don't rush to memorize. First feel how the word works in a sentence.
stealing Phonetic & Pronunciation
UK
/stiːl/
US
/stɪl/
stealing Word Etymology
steal = to take away unlawfully; Old English 'stelan' → Germanic roots 'stelan' and possibly a relation to Latin 'stuprum' (wrongdoing). Imagine a shadowy figure swiftly taking a prized possession in the dark, embodying the act of theft.
Note 1: These definitions and etymologies are not standard dictionary definitions, but extended explanations provided to help with memorization and understanding of the actual application of words. Through this background information, we strive to make words more vivid and easier to understand, and help you remember their meanings in real life.
Note 2: LexiTalk designs the learning flow around the linguistics principle of “Comprehensible Input.” When learners encounter material that is slightly above their level but still understandable from context, the brain naturally absorbs the language. That’s why we keep every word inside authentic contexts, using examples and associations to help you understand it and use it flexibly.
Read the FAQ explanation of Comprehensible InputEnglish Brain Route
I step closer, my hand moves toward the desk item, and I test different angles and pressures. The thing shifts under my fingers as I shift my grip, pull it a little, and push it back, adjusting with effort. A taut awareness rises in my chest, a decision I know I shouldn’t make pressing in. The room stays quiet, and I feel the line between want and permission wavering inside me.
Real Context
Steal is a verb meaning to take something unlawfully or without permission. It covers both outright theft and more elusive forms, like stealing an idea or someone's attention. In everyday usage, it's stronger than 'take' or 'borrow' and emphasizes wrongdoing, often with a sense of immediate wrongdoing in the present tense: 'They steal from the store' or 'She stole my umbrella.' The historical root is Old English stelan, a Germanic word family linked to 'stelan' in many languages; some theories connect it to Latin 'stuprum' though that link is debated. Visualize a shadowy figure slipping away with a prized possession in the dark.
Usage Reminders
- Remember the core meaning: take without permission from a person or place.
- Use from with a person or organization and from a place (steal from the shop).
- Learn common collocations: steal something, steal from, steal a glance, steal the show.
- Be mindful of tense: steal, stole, stolen.
- Differentiate from rob (rob a person) and borrow (take with permission).
- Practice with brief, vivid scenarios to reinforce the idea.
Common Misconceptions
- Steal is just taking anything without permission; it always sounds severe and criminal.
- Borrow and take are safe substitutes in everyday speech.
- Steal from a person vs steal from a place can be used interchangeably.
- Steal can never be used metaphorically; it’s only about objects.
- Confusion with rob: rob is usually from a person, steal from a place is more common.
Thinking Differences
Explain to an English speaker (meta, keep short)
Learning Tips
- Remember the core meaning: take without permission from a person or place.
- Use from with a person or organization and from a place (steal from the shop).
- Learn common collocations: steal something, steal from, steal a glance, steal the show.
- Be mindful of tense: steal, stole, stolen.
- Differentiate from rob (rob a person) and borrow (take with permission).
- Practice with brief, vivid scenarios to reinforce the idea.
Related Listening
🔥 Advanced
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