verb
lift
To take something without permission.
The thief lifts a wallet from the unattended bag.
Etymology
The verb for raising something acquired a slang sense of stealing. The theft is pictured as taking an object up and away from where it belongs.
More examples
- She discovered that someone had lifted her phone.
- He lifted whole sentences from another writer.
- They were accused of lifting the design without permission.
Forms
lift · lifts · lifted · lifting
Similar words
- steal
- The direct term for taking without permission.
- pilfer
- Usually implies stealing relatively small items.