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View synonyms for purloin

purloin

[ per-loin, pur-loin ]

verb (used with object)

  1. to take dishonestly; steal; filch; pilfer.


verb (used without object)

  1. to commit theft; steal.

purloin

/ pɜːˈlɔɪn /

verb

  1. to take (something) dishonestly; steal
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012


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Derived Forms

  • purˈloiner, noun
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Other Words From

  • pur·loiner noun
  • unpur·loined adjective
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Word History and Origins

Origin of purloin1

First recorded in 1325–50; Middle English purloynen, from Anglo-French purloigner, Old French porloigner “to put off, remove,” equivalent to pur- (from Latin prō- pro- 1 ) + -loigner, derivative of loin “at a distance, far off,” from Latin longē “a long way off,” adverb of longus “long” ( long 1( def ) )
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Word History and Origins

Origin of purloin1

C15: from Old French porloigner to put at a distance, from por- for + loin distant, from Latin longus long
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Example Sentences

When the news broke, in 2020, that Disney-owned Hulu was making a miniseries about Pamela Anderson, Tommy Lee and the purloined sex tape that shook the world, it came as a bit of a surprise.

From Time

If a thief gets a load of said bags, he'll pop right out of your mattress and purloin them.

Of course nothing could have been easier than for him to purloin the photographs; but what reason would he have for doing so?

He took advantage of his position to purloin my money, and then turned me over to the county jailer.

She is induced by Iago to purloin a certain handkerchief given by Othello to Desdemona.

She will usually attempt to purloin some trinket or other and be caught again.

From her sleep alone she could purloin the few minutes that she dedicated to her pen and her Gabriella.

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