Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Steal \Steal\, v. t. [imp. {Stole}; p. p. {Stolen}; p. pr. & vb.
   n. {Stealing}.] [OE. stelen, AS. stelan; akin to OFries.
   stela, D. stelen, OHG. stelan, G. stehlen, Icel. stela, SW.
   stj["a]la, Dan. sti[ae]le, Goth. stilan.]
   1. 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.

            Maugre thy heed, thou must for indigence Or steal,
            or borrow, thy dispense.              --Chaucer.

            The man who stole a goose and gave away the giblets
            in ?lms.                              --G. Eliot.

   2. To withdraw or convey clandestinely (reflexive); hence, to
      creep furtively, or to insinuate.

            They could insinuate and steal themselves under the
            same by their humble carriage and submission.
                                                  --Spenser.

            He will steal himself into a man's favor. --Shak.

   3. To gain by insinuating arts or covert means.

            So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.
                                                  --2 Sam. xv.
                                                  6.

   4. To get into one's power gradually and by imperceptible
      degrees; to take possession of by a gradual and
      imperceptible appropriation; -- with away.

            Variety of objects has a tendency to steal away the
            mind from its steady pursuit of any subject. --I.
                                                  Watts.

   5. To accomplish in a concealed or unobserved manner; to try
      to carry out secretly; as, to steal a look.

            Always, when thou changest thine opinion or course,
            profess it plainly, . . . and do not think to steal
            it.                                   --Bacon.

   {To steal a march}, to march in a covert way; to gain an
      advantage unobserved; -- formerly followed by of, but now
      by on or upon, and sometimes by over; as, to steal a march
      upon one's political rivals.

            She yesterday wanted to steal a march of poor Liddy.
                                                  --Smollett.

            Fifty thousand men can not easily steal a march over
            the sea.                              --Walpole.

   Syn: To filch; pilfer; purloin; thieve.

Stole \Stole\,
   imp. of {Steal}.

Stole \Stole\, n. [L. stolo, -onis.] (Bot.)
   A stolon.

Stole \Stole\, n. [AS. stole, L. stola, Gr. ? a stole, garment,
   equipment, fr. ? to set, place, equip, send, akin to E.
   stall. See {Stall}.]
   1. A long, loose garment reaching to the feet. --Spenser.

            But when mild morn, in saffron stole, First issues
            from her eastern goal.                --T. Warton.

   2. (Eccl.) A narrow band of silk or stuff, sometimes enriched
      with embroidery and jewels, worn on the left shoulder of
      deacons, and across both shoulders of bishops and priests,
      pendent on each side nearly to the ground. At Mass, it is
      worn crossed on the breast by priests. It is used in
      various sacred functions.

   {Groom of the stole}, the first lord of the bedchamber in the
      royal household. [Eng.] --Brande & C.

Source : WordNet®

steal
     v 1: take without the owner's consent; "Someone stole my wallet
          on the train"; "This author stole entire paragraphs from
          my dissertation"
     2: move stealthily; "The ship slipped away in the darkness"
        [syn: {slip}]
     3: steal a base
     4: to go stealthily or furtively; "..stead of sneaking around
        spying on the neighbor's house" [syn: {sneak}, {mouse}, {creep},
         {pussyfoot}]
     [also: {stolen}, {stole}]

steal
     n 1: an advantageous purchase; "she got a bargain at the
          auction"; "the stock was a real buy at that price" [syn:
           {bargain}, {buy}]
     2: a stolen base; an instance in which a base runner advances
        safely during the delivery of a pitch (without the help of
        a hit or walk or passed ball or wild pitch)
     [also: {stolen}, {stole}]

stole
     n : a wide scarf worn about their shoulders by women

stole
     See {steal}