Purloin Meaning in English
word
pɝˈɫɔɪn
per-LOYN
pˈɜːlɔɪn
pur-LOYN
Definition
To steal something, especially in a secret, often slightly humorous or literary way.
Usage & Nuances
Purloin is formal and literary; rarely used in daily conversation. More playful or old-fashioned than simply 'steal.' Common in books, stories, or when describing theft with irony or humor.
Spanish: hurtar - robar (formal/literario)Portuguese (BR): furtar - subtrair (formal/literário)Portuguese (PT): furtar - subtrair (formal/literário)Chinese (Simplified): 偷窃 (正式/文学)Chinese (Traditional): 偷竊 (正式/文學)Hindi: चुराना (औपचारिक/साहित्यिक)Arabic: يَسْرُق (رسمي/أدبي)Bengali: চুরি করা - গোপনে নেওয়াRussian: похитить - украсть (литературное)Japanese: 盗む（文学的、ユーモラスなニュアンス）Vietnamese: ăn trộm (một cách bí mật, hài hước hoặc văn chương)Korean: 슬쩍 훔치다 - 몰래 빼앗다 (문학적)Turkish: çalmak (edebi, mizahi bir biçimde) - aşırmakUrdu: چپکے سے چوری کرنا - چوری کرنا (ادبی یا مزاحیہ انداز)Indonesian: lấy trộm (một cách bí mật, hài hước hoặc văn học)
Example Sentences
He tried to purloin a cookie from the kitchen when no one was looking.
basic
She purloined her sister’s diary and read it secretly.
basic
The thief purloined an expensive watch from the shop.
basic
The dog managed to purloin my sandwich while I wasn’t paying attention.
natural
He’s famous for his ability to purloin other people’s ideas and call them his own.
natural
You wouldn’t happen to know who purloined my pen, would you?
natural