pilfer

/ˈpil-fər/

Middle French pelfrer, from pelfre booty

verb

  1. steal; especially : to steal stealthily in small amounts and often again and again

  2. steal; especially : to steal in small quantities

steal pilfer filch purloin mean to take from another without right or without detection. steal may apply to any surreptitious taking of something and differs from the other terms by commonly applying to intangibles as well as material things. pilfer implies stealing repeatedly in small amounts.