forstelan

From Proto-Germanic *frastelaną (“to steal, steal away”), equivalent to for- +‎ stelan. Cognate with Old Saxon farstelan, Old High German firstelan.

• IPA^(key): /forˈste.lɑn/

forstelan

1. (intensive) to steal
   • c. 990, Wessex Gospels, Matthew 28:13

     Seċġaþ þæt his leornungcneohtas cōmen nihtes and forstǣlen hine þā wē slēpen.

     Say that his disciples came at night and stole him away while we were asleep.

   • c. 990, Wessex Gospels, Matthew 6:19

     Nellen ġē goldhordian ēow goldhord on eorðan, þǣr ōm and moþþe hit fornimþ and þǣr þēofas hit delfaþ and forstelaþ.

     Don't hoard yourself treasures on Earth, where moths and rust will destroy it and thieves will dig it up and steal it.

2. to kidnap
   • late 10th century, Ælfric, the Old English Hexateuch, Exodus 21:16

     Sē þe mann forstele and hine ġeselle, swelte hē dēaðe.

     Whoever kidnaps someone and sells them will be put to death.

   • late 7th century, Law of Hlothhere and Eadric

     Ġif friġ mann mannan forstele, ġif hē eft cume melda, seċġe on andweardne.

     If a free person kidnaps someone, and the victim returns as an informer, they must make the accusation in the presence of the accused.

   • c. 935, King Æthelstan's sixth law code

     Wē cwǣdon be ūrum þēowum mannum þā menn þe menn hæfdon: ġif hine man forstele, þæt hine man forgulde mid healfum punde.

     Those of us who own slaves have declared: if anyone kidnaps a slave, the kidnapper must pay for the slave with half a pound.

• Middle English: forstelen
  • English: forsteal

• manþēof