Showing results for "stole"

• past tense form of steal.

stole

¹ American  

[stohl] / stoʊl /

verb

1. simple past tense of steal.

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stole ² American  

[stohl] / stoʊl /

noun

• stoles
  plural

1. an ecclesiastical vestment consisting of a narrow strip of silk or other material worn over the shoulders or, by deacons, over the left shoulder only, and arranged to hang down in front to the knee or below.

2. a woman's shoulder scarf of fur, marabou, silk, or other material.

3. a long robe, especially one worn by the matrons of ancient Rome.

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stole ¹ British  

/ stəʊl /

noun

1. a long scarf or shawl, worn by women

2. a long narrow scarf worn by various officiating clergymen

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stole ² British  

/ stəʊl /

verb

1. the past tense of steal

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Usage

What is a basic definition of stole? Stole is the simple past tense form of the verb steal, which means to take something that a person has no right to have. A stole is an article of clothing that resembles a scarf. If you stole something, you took it without permission or authority needed to make it belong to you. If you stole bread from the store, for example, you took it without paying for it. If you stole someone’s idea, you took it from them without asking first and presented it as yours. As the past tense of steal, stole can be used in all of the same idioms that steal is used in. If you “stole someone’s thunder,” for example, you used their plan or idea before they could. Likewise, if you paid a very low amount of money for something valuable, you might say that you stole it.

• Real-life examples: Bonnie and Clyde were a real-life couple who famously stole from banks and stores. Robin Hood was a (probably) fictional outlaw who stole from the rich and gave to the poor.
• Used in a sentence: My sister stole my excuse for why I was late so I had to make up something else. 

A stole is an article of clothing that is similar to a scarf or a shaw. It is worn around the neck or draped over one or both shoulders. A stole can be short, covering just the shoulders and upper arms, or long, usually reaching down to about the wearer’s hips. It is typically considered to be an article of women’s clothing, but stoles are worn by male members of the clergy belonging to several different kinds of Christian denominations. For example, Roman Catholic priests (including the Pope) will sometimes wear a stole as part of their holy vestments.

• Used in a sentence: Lorraine wore her fancy fur stole to the banquet. 

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• stoles
  plural

Etymology

Origin of stole

before 950; Middle English, Old English < Latin stola < Greek stolḗ clothing, robe; akin to Greek stéllein to array, Old English stellan to place, put

Explanation

A stole is a fancy scarf or shawl, often one that's made of fur. If it's cold outside, you might want to wear a stole over your ball gown. Stoles are typically worn draped across the shoulders, especially by actresses in old movies or ladies attending extravagant parties. Another type of stole is worn by priests in several different Christian denominations—this stole is a bright strip of fabric that's also worn over the shoulders. This is the original stole, from the Latin stola, "robe or vestment."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

stole stoles

The Mayor of Villena, Fulgencio Cerdán, said the thieves "stole a large part of the treasure," specifically all the gold, El Pais reported.

From BBC ● Aug. 27, 2026

That game against the Giants, with Heyward looking on as a Dodgers special assistant for the first time, Freeman stole a base — a rarity in recent years.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 25, 2026

Singapore has charged a British man for theft more than two years after he allegedly stole a denim jacket from a store at the airport shopping mall.

From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2026

Early in the first quarter, she drove for a basket then immediately stole the inbound pass and scored again.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 23, 2026

And when I finally stole a glance in her direction, the smile I saw in her eyes let me know how much she approved.

From "The Detective's Assistant" by Kate Hannigan

Protesters, some wearing clerical stoles draped over their shoulders, knelt while singing hymns and reciting the Lord’s Prayer in frigid conditions before being handcuffed and led away, video showed.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 23, 2026

Around their necks, they all too appropriately wear stoles that read: “Fight Poverty, Not the Poor” and “Jesus Was Homeless.”

From Salon ● Jul. 21, 2025

But Francis seemed energized by his visit to the Rebibbia prison, where he was given a basket of vegetables grown in the prison garden as well as two liturgical stoles embroidered by the inmates.

From Seattle Times ● Mar. 28, 2024

Glamorous British spy Margaux, a fictional character based on Josephine Baker, was the epitome of elegant ’40s power dressing with her sharp skirt suits, golden brooches and fur stoles.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 1, 2023

I’d found images of women wearing snug-fitting cheongsams styled with scarves, stoles, jackets, and flowing robes.

From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu

Related Words

• fur
• jacket
• shawl