Pilfering

C1 16+

Pronunciation: /ˈpɪlfərɪŋ/

Definitions of pilfering

noun the act of stealing small amounts or items

Example Sentences

A1 Pilfering is stealing small items without being noticed.

A2 Supermarkets often have issues with pilfering of goods.

B1 The company implemented new security measures to prevent pilfering by employees.

B2 The investigation revealed a sophisticated pilfering operation within the organization.

C1 The art gallery was hit by a series of pilfering incidents, leading to increased security measures.

C2 The mastermind behind the pilfering scheme was finally apprehended by authorities.

verb to steal (typically small items) in a casual way

Example Sentences

A1 The cat was pilfering food from the kitchen.

A2 The pickpocket was caught pilfering wallets in the crowded market.

B1 The employee was fired for pilfering office supplies.

B2 The thieves were arrested for pilfering valuable artifacts from the museum.

C1 The corrupt official was involved in pilfering public funds for personal gain.

C2 The sophisticated hacker was pilfering sensitive data from government databases.

Examples of pilfering in a Sentence

formal The employee was caught pilfering office supplies from the supply closet.

informal I heard that someone has been pilfering snacks from the break room.

slang I can't believe she's still pilfering money from her parents.

figurative The politician was accused of pilfering votes during the election.

Grammatical Forms of pilfering

past tense

pilfered

plural

pilferings

comparative

more pilfering

superlative

most pilfering

present tense

pilfers

future tense

will pilfer

perfect tense

has pilfered

continuous tense

is pilfering

singular

pilfer

positive degree

pilfer

infinitive

to pilfer

gerund

pilfering

participle

pilfered

Origin and Evolution of pilfering

First Known Use: 1250 year
Language of Origin: Middle English
Story behind the word: The word 'pilfering' originated from the Middle English word 'pilfren' which came from the Old French word 'pelfrer' meaning to steal small amounts.
Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'pilfering' has retained its meaning of stealing small amounts, but has also come to be associated with petty theft or stealing in a sneaky or underhanded manner.