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filch

verb
\ ˈfilch How to pronounce filch (audio) \
filched; filching; filches

Definition of filch

transitive verb

: to steal secretly or casually filch a cookie
Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym Did You Know? More Example Sentences Learn More about filch

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Choose the Right Synonym for filch

steal, pilfer, filch, purloin mean to take from another without right or without detection. steal may apply to any surreptitious taking of something and differs from the other terms by commonly applying to intangibles as well as material things. steal jewels stole a look at the gifts pilfer implies stealing repeatedly in small amounts. pilfered from his employer filch adds a suggestion of snatching quickly and surreptitiously. filched an apple from the tray purloin stresses removing or carrying off for one's own use or purposes. printed a purloined document

Did You Know?

I am glad I am so acquit of this tinder-box: his thefts were too open; his filching was like an unskilful singer-he kept not time. So says Falstaff in Shakespeare's play The Merry Wives of Windsor. The Bard was fond of filch in both its literal and figurative uses; Iago says to Othello, "he that filches from me my good name / Robs me of that which not enriches him / And makes me poor indeed." Filch derives from the Middle English word filchen ("to attack" or "to steal") and perhaps from Old English gefylce ("band of men, troop, army"). As a noun, filch once referred to a hooked staff used by thieves to snatch articles out of windows and from similar places, but this use is now obsolete.

Examples of filch in a Sentence

He filched a pack of gum when no one was looking. too hungry to wait until the party had started, he filched a cookie from the buffet table when no one was looking

Recent Examples on the Web

 Some employers, meanwhile, may be putting the most positive spin on job openings in a highly competitive environment in which the 3.6% unemployment rate – a 50-year low -- forces them to filch workers from each other. — Paul Davidson, USA TODAY, "Talent dogfight: Rock stars, heroes and broken promises as job openings near record," 1 July 2019 That was good news because many of the home’s small treasures — vintage glass door knobs, wall sconces — hadn’t been filched or damaged. — Richard A. Marini, ExpressNews.com, "Historic Tobin Hill home renovation paired wheelchair accessibility with preservation," 6 Aug. 2019 The amount that Taylor actually filched from the AFDC program was much less than authorities claimed. — Bryce Covert, The New Republic, "The Myth of the Welfare Queen," 2 July 2019 Neither is Jeremy Lamb nor T.J. Warren, the 18-ppg scorer Pritchard filched from Phoenix, along with the 32nd pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, for cash. — Gregg Doyel, Indianapolis Star, "Doyel: Malcolm Brogdon and Jeremy Lamb? Kevin Pritchard just made the Pacers a lot better," 30 June 2019 Calgary in 2013 tried to filch holdout Ryan O’Reilly away from the Avalanche with a two-year deal totaling $10 million. — Kevin Paul Dupont, BostonGlobe.com, "Blues’ Stanley Cup blueprint: Don’t expect league to follow suit," 15 June 2019 Warmbier was a curious college student on a tour of Pyongyang in January 2016 when he was arrested for allegedly filching a propaganda poster. — The Editorial Board, WSJ, "Otto Warmbier’s Reminder," 1 Jan. 2019 As Torun’s nimble camera follows the cats doing their rounds—filching food, catching rats, scaring off interlopers—the film offers a glimpse of something richer and more poetic. — Vogue, "These Are the 66 Best Documentaries of All Time," 8 Aug. 2018 Forays like these increasingly vex trade hawks in America, who fear that China will filch its cutting-edge technology. — The Economist, "China’s new $15bn tech fund emulates SoftBank’s Vision Fund," 5 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'filch.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of filch

1561, in the meaning defined above

History and Etymology for filch

Middle English

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More Definitions for filch

filch

verb
How to pronounce filch (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of filch

informal : to steal (something that is small or that has little value)

See the full definition for filch in the English Language Learners Dictionary

filch

verb
\ ˈfilch How to pronounce filch (audio) \
filched; filching

Kids Definition of filch

: to steal in a sneaky way

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More from Merriam-Webster on filch

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with filch

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for filch

Spanish Central: Translation of filch

Nglish: Translation of filch for Spanish Speakers

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