Vasile Alecsandri University of

Bacau
Faculty of Letters
1 Year of stuy
Translation and interpretation
Ana-Maria Patrascu

STEAL(V)

1), 2)
Cambridge: to secretly take something that does not belong to you,
without intending to return it
Webster: to take the property of another wrongfully and especially
as a habitual or regular practice
Longman: to take something that belongs to someone else
Macmillan: to take something that belongs to someone else without
permission
3) Common/shared feature: to take something that belongs to someone else
4), 5) Related words
Longman:
Burgle, collar, kidnap, mug, pillage, poach, rob, shoplift

6), 7) Burgle
Cambridge: to get into a building illegally and steal things

Webster: to enter a house or building by force usually with illegal

intent
Longman: to go into a building and steal things
Macmillan: to enter a building and steal things
Specific features:
Into a building
Illegally
Steal things
Collar
Cambridge: to find someone and stop them going somewhere, often
so that you can talk to them about something
Webster: to stop and detain in unwilling conversation
Longman: to catch someone and hold them so that they cannot escape
Macmillan: to catch or arrest someone
Specific features:
To catch someone
They cannot escape
Kidnap
Cambridge: to take someone away using force, usually to obtain
money in exchange for releasing them
Webster: to seize and detain or carry away by unlawful force or
fraud and often with a demand for ransom
Longman: to take someone somewhere illegally by force, often in order to get
money for returning them

Macmillan:
to illegally take someone away and make them a prisoner,
especially in order to make their family or government give you
money or to allow you to do what you want
Specific features:
To take someone away using force
Demand for ransom
Mug
Cambridge: to attack and rob someone in a public place
Webster: to assault usually with intent to rob
Longman: to attack someone and them in a public place
Macmillan:
to attack someone in a public place and steal their money,
jewellery, or other possessions
Specific features:
To attack someone
A public place
Pillage
Cambridge: to steal something from a place or a person by using
violence, especially during war
Webster: the act of looting or plundering especially in war
Longman: if soldiers pillage a place in a war, they steal a lot of
things and do a lot of damage
Macmillan:
to steal things from a place using force, especially during a war

Specific features:
To steal something from a place or a person
In a war
Poach
Cambridge: to illegally catch or kill animals, especially by going onto
land without the permission of the person who owns it
Webster: to trespass for the purpose of stealing game
Longman: to illegally catch pr shoot animals, birds, or fish,
especially on private land without permission
Macmillan: to illegally catch or kill an animal, bird, or fish on some
one elses property
Specific features:
To illegally steal or kill animals
On private land without permission
Rob
Cambridge: to steal from someone or somewhere, often using
violence
Webster: to take something away from by force
Longman: to steal money or property from a person, a bank etc
Macmillan:
to take money or property illegally from a person or place, often
using threats or violence
Specific features:
To take something away
Using violence

Shoplift
Cambridge: to steal things from a shop
Webster: to steal displayed goods from a store
Longman: to take something from s shop without paying for it
Macmillan: to steal something from a shop
Specific features:
To steal things
From a shop
Loot
Cambridge: to steal from shops and houses during a war or period of
fighting
Webster: to engage in robbing or plundering especially in war
Longman: to steal things, especially from shops or homes that
have been damaged in a war or riot
Macmillan:
to steal things from houses or shops during a war or after a
disaster such as a fire or flood
Specific features:
To steal things
During a war or period of fighting
Snatch
Cambridge: to take something or someone quickly and suddenly
Webster: to seize or take suddenly without permission, ceremony,
or right

Longman: to take something away from someone with a quick,

often violent, movement
Macmillan: to quickly steal something from someone
Specific features:
To take something without permission
Quick and suddently
9)
things
burgle
collar
kidnap
mug
pillage
poach
rob
shoplift
loot
snatch

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People
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Using
violence
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In a specific
place
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10) Burgle
I think weve been burgled!(
http://www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary)- retrieved May19, 2012
Collar
On my way to the meeting, Jack collared me about his new
proposal. (http://dictionary.cambridge.org) retrieved May 22, 2012
Kidnap
The child of the wealthy industrialist was kidnapped and held for ransom.
(http://www.merriam-webster.com) retrieved May 22, 2012

Mug
He was mugged as he walked across the park.
(http://dictionary.cambridge.org) retrieved May 22, 2012
Pillage
Works of art were pillaged from many countries in the dark days
of the Empire.
(http://dictionary.cambridge.org) retrieved May 22, 2012

Poach
Deer have been poached here for years. (http://dictionary.longman.org) retrieved
May 22, 2012
Rob
Two tourists were robbed at gunpoint in the city centre last night.
(http://dictionary.cambridge.org) retrieved May 22, 2012
Shoplift
The kids shoplifted candy from the store. (http://www.merriamwebster.com) retrieved May 22, 2012
Loot
Rioters looted the capital. (http://dictionary.cambridge.org)
retrieved May 22, 2012
Snatch
Bill snatched the telephone from my hand.
(http://dictionary.cambridge.org) retrieved May 22, 2012

Bibliography

http://dictionary.cambridge.org
http://www.merriam-webster.com
http://dictionary.longman.org
http://www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary