'To steal a march' definitions:

Definition of 'To steal a march'

From: GCIDE
  • Steal \Steal\ (st[=e]l), v. t. [imp. Stole (st[=o]l); p. p. Stolen (st[=o]"l'n); p. pr. & vb. n. Stealing.] [OE. stelen, AS. stelan; akin to OFries. stela, D. stelen, OHG. stelan, G. stehlen, Icel. stela, SW. stj[aum]la, Dan. stiaele, Goth. stilan.]
  • 1. To take, and carry away, feloniously; to take without right or leave, and with intent to keep wrongfully; as, to steal the personal goods of another. [1913 Webster]
  • Maugre thy heed, thou must for indigence Or steal, or beg, or borrow, thy dispense. --Chaucer. [1913 Webster]
  • The man who stole a goose and gave away the giblets in alms. --G. Eliot. [1913 Webster]
  • 2. To withdraw or convey clandestinely (reflexive); hence, to creep furtively, or to insinuate. [1913 Webster]
  • They could insinuate and steal themselves under the same by their humble carriage and submission. --Spenser. [1913 Webster]
  • He will steal himself into a man's favor. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
  • 3. To gain by insinuating arts or covert means. [1913 Webster]
  • So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel. --2 Sam. xv. 6. [1913 Webster]
  • 4. To get into one's power gradually and by imperceptible degrees; to take possession of by a gradual and imperceptible appropriation; -- with away. [1913 Webster]
  • Variety of objects has a tendency to steal away the mind from its steady pursuit of any subject. --I. Watts. [1913 Webster]
  • 5. To accomplish in a concealed or unobserved manner; to try to carry out secretly; as, to steal a look. [1913 Webster]
  • Always, when thou changest thine opinion or course, profess it plainly, . . . and do not think to steal it. --Bacon. [1913 Webster]
  • To steal a march, to march in a covert way; to gain an advantage unobserved; -- formerly followed by of, but now by on or upon, and sometimes by over; as, to steal a march upon one's political rivals. [1913 Webster]
  • She yesterday wanted to steal a march of poor Liddy. --Smollett. [1913 Webster]
  • Fifty thousand men can not easily steal a march over the sea. --Walpole. [1913 Webster]
  • Syn: To filch; pilfer; purloin; thieve. [1913 Webster]