▪ I. purloin, v.
(pɜːˈlɔɪn)
Forms: 5–6 perloyn(e, 5–7 purloyn(e, (5 pourloigne), 7 purloine, 6– purloin.
[a. AF. purloigner = OF. porloigner, -lognier, -lunier, purloigner, -luignier, -luinier, later pourloign(i)er, -longnier, f. por-, pur-:—L. prō- + loing, loin:—L. longe far; hence, ‘to put far off or far away, to put away, do away with’. The sense ‘make away with, steal’ appears to be of English development.
The OF. por- purloigner tended to be confused in use with porlongier, and the learned prolonger, representatives of L. prōlongare to prolong. In Eng. prolong is rarely found in the sense ‘purloin’, but the obs. proloyn v. combined the senses of both verbs.]
† 1. trans. To put far away; to remove; to put away; to do away with; make of none effect. Obs.
| c 1440 York Myst. xxx. 31 My duke doughty, demar of dampnacion, To princes and prelatis Þat youre preceptis perloyned. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 394/2 Perloynyn, idem quod purloynyn. [Ibid. 417/1 Purlongyn, or prolongyn, or put fer a-wey, prolongo, alieno.] 1461 Rolls of Parlt. V. 494/1 The seid Enditementz and Presentementz been purloyned, embesiled and put away. 1660 R. Coke Power & Subj. 123 A Prince commands a Judge to execute the known Laws uprightly; he becomes corrupt, and sells, or otherwise purloyns judgment. |
† b. To put out of the way, conceal. Obs.
| 1489 Hen. VII in Epist. Acad. Oxon. (O.H.S.) II. 559 The sayde bachelar hath..g[r]evously offendyd unto us in concellyng and pourloignyng þe sayde Thomas. |
2. To make away with, misappropriate, or take dishonestly; to steal, esp. under circumstances which involve a breach of trust; to pilfer, filch.
| 1548 Act 2 & 3 Edw. VI, c. 2 §1 Yf any souldier..doe sell give awaie or willfullie purloyne or otherwise exchaunge alter or putt awaye anye horse. 1594 Drayton Ideas lviii, For feare that some their Treasure should purloyne. 1684 Wood Life III. 103 A. W...made 2 such exact catalogues of his books that nothing could be purloyn'd thence. 1749 Fielding Tom Jones viii. xi, I took..an opportunity of purloining his key from his breeches-pocket. 1880 Chamb. Jrnl. ccii. 367 Epileptics have an irresistible impulse to purloin whatever they can secretly lay their hands upon. |
b. absol. or intr. To commit petty theft.
| 1611 Bible Tit. ii. 10 Not purloynyng, but shewing all good fidelitie. a 1635 R. Corbet Poems (1807) 28 Thence goes he to their present, And there he doth purloyne. |
† c. trans. To steal from, to rob (a person). Obs. rare.
| 1571 Campion Hist. Irel. vi. (1633) 19 If neighbours and friends send their Catars to purloyne one another. |
3. transf. and fig.
| 1593 Shakes. Lucr. 1651 Euidence to sweare That my poore beautie had purloin'd his eyes. 1616 Surfl. & Markh. Country Farme 653 If they [weeds] be suffered to grow vp, sucke, purloine, and carrie away the sap and substance of the earth. 1774 Pennant Tour Scot. in 1772, 1 Galleries purloined from the first floor of each house. 1807 J. Barlow Columb. i. 12 Slaves, kings, adventurers, envious of his name, Enjoy'd his labours, and purloin'd his fame. 1809 Byron Bards & Rev. 326 Lo! the Sabbath bard..Perverts the Prophets, and purloins the Psalms. |
Hence purˈloined ppl. a.
| 1907 Nation 5 Oct. 13/1 Hermit crabs thrusting sharp nippers from the shelter of purloined whelk-shells. |
▪ II. purloin
variant of purlin.