steal away


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steal away

1. To leave or depart from some location or situation very quickly, quietly, and furtively. I started feeling a bit despondent at the party, so I stole away while no one was looking. The two stole away to share a kiss.
2. To steal someone or something (from someone); to rob someone of someone or something. In this usage, a noun or pronoun is used between "steal" and "away." The two thieves stole the statue away by loading it into a helicopter and making off into the night sky. The gang has been stealing children away for years and brainwashing them as young soldiers.
3. To take someone or something away from someone, especially in a way that seems unfair or malicious. In this usage, a noun or pronoun is used between "steal" and "away." The team had victory within their grasp, but with a last-minute field goal, the reigning champions stole it away from them. I don't know why you're so convinced that I'm trying to steal your boyfriend away, but it simply is not true!
See also: away, steal

steal away (from someone or something)

to sneak away from someone or something. The thief stole away from the policeman. We stole away from the boring lecture.
See also: away, steal

steal away

v.
To leave quietly without being noticed: During the party, the lovers stole away to the garden.
See also: away, steal
References in periodicals archive ?
Almost 200 years ago a French naturalist wrote that "enticed by the riches that would come from vanquishing whales, man disturbed the peace of their vast wilderness, violated their haven, wiped out all those unable to steal away to the inaccessible wasteland of icy polar seas .
Martin, Stephen. The whales' journey: a year in the life of a humpback whale, and a century in the history of whaling
It tends to sneak up on you, deliver the sermon with a punch, and steal away under sanguine cover.
Guy's in the hood
Detractors called it a "Digg clone" and became irate when he offered to steal away top Digg contributors with cash.
Jason McCabe Calacanis Announces "Entrepreneur in Action" Position at Sequoia Capital
Facebook, having over 750 million users worldwide, might be able to steal away some of it market share in the growing mobile instant messenger market, the paper said.
Facebook's new mobile messaging service locks horns with Blackberry Messenger
Blaydon, meanwhile, could not steal away from their flying Cornwall visit with anything other than defeat.
REGIONAL ROUND-UP
ARSENE WENGER last night told Sir Alex Ferguson that Arsenal would fight every step of the way to steal away Manchester United's Premier League crown.
Football: WENGER'S NEW YEAR TITLE VOW
DEFENDING champion Matt Neal, from Droitwich, is tipping arch-rival Jason Plato to steal away his Dunlop British Touring Car crown this year.
Plato tipped to triumph
I steal away for my weekly fix of Pobol y Cwm - two hours of pure escapism.
Weekender
We anticipate that Disney's 'Chicken Little' will likely continue to steal away the remainder of the family audience for the next couple of weeks followed by Warner Bros.
DREAMWORKS TAKES A DIP 'WALLACE & GROMIT' BLAMED FOR THIRD-QUARTER LOSS; `MADAGASCAR' HOLDS PROMISE
Raggedy Ann, Andy, and Raggedy Dog try to get prince Luke back to Pixley Castle before Count Gerich can steal away the throne.
New Video Kids
What he doesn't know is that the spooky master of the manor plans to steal away his wife, Sara (Marsha Thomason), who is the spitting image of his long-dead lover.
The Razz: Trailers: Movie reviews: Another fair attempt; HAUNTED MANSION HHHII
But that loophole had some net execs wondering whether they could steal away the Osbournes.
MTV warns poachers. (Update)
Sir, - Are our city councillors going to prove how little they understand the concept of heritage by letting Oxford steal away one of the best bits of real living heritage anywhere in the city?
Letter: Does nobody care about city jewel?
This sequel to Steal Away (1994) continues in two parallel narratives.
For Tweens and Teens
Yet Elijah, who has had to steal away from Italy and is living in the mountains near Ephesus, in the region where the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary took place, is still ready to continue with this assignment, and go to Jerusalem since the President is going to be there.
Father Elijah: an apocalypse
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