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steal away

B2 formal intransitive
In simple words

To leave very quietly so no one sees you go

Literal meaning: To steal (move stealthily like a thief) away from a place

Meanings

1 B2 formal

To leave a place quietly and secretly, without attracting attention

"During the long reception, the couple managed to steal away for a few minutes of quiet time together."

""Steal away, steal away, steal away to Jesus.""

— Traditional African-American spiritual, 'Steal Away', attributed to the era of American slavery (19th century)
2 C1 idiomatic formal

To gradually disappear or fade away (literary, often of time, life, or opportunity)

"He watched the last hours of his holiday steal away without having written a single word."

Usage notes

Somewhat literary and poetic in tone. Used in both literal and figurative contexts. Appears in literary texts, songs, and spiritual contexts ('Steal Away to Jesus' is a famous African-American spiritual). Less common in everyday conversation, where 'slip away' or 'sneak away' are more typical.

Commonly used with

quietly unnoticed night crowd moment secretly

Forms

Base
steal away
I/you/we/they
3rd person
steals away
he/she/it
Past simple
stealed away
yesterday
Past participle
stealed away
have + pp
-ing form
stealing away
continuous

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Synonyms

slip away sneak away creep away depart quietly escape unnoticed

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