What does "stole" mean?
A garment consisting of a decorated band worn on the back of the neck, each end hanging over the chest, worn in ecclesiastical settings or sometimes as a part of graduation dress.
Stole
/stəʊl/ noun, verb, slang
noun, verb, slang ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A garment consisting of a decorated band worn on the back of the neck, each end hanging over the chest, worn in ecclesiastical settings or sometimes as a part of graduation dress.
- Grammar: stole is listed as noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: cape, collar, dominate, garment.
- Useful contrasts: disappoint, go unnoticed, own legally.
- Usage evidence: The police are really good at understanding "Someone stole my credit card and ran up a lot of charges." It's a lot harder to get them to buy into "Someone stole my magic sword."
How to use "stole"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "stole" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "stole" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "stole" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "stole" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "stole" is acting as noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "cape" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "stole", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A garment consisting of a decorated band worn on the back of the neck, each end hanging over the chest, worn in ecclesiastical settings or sometimes as a part of graduation dress.
"1994-1998, Encyclopaedia Britannica CD 98, Multimedia Edition Certain robes indicate a position in the hierarchy; others correspond to function and may be worn by the same individual at different times. The most important vestment among the insignia [of the clergy] is the stole, the emblem of sacerdotal status, the origin of which is the ancient pallium. The stole originally was a draped garment, then a folded one with the appearance of a scarf, and, finally, in the 4th century, a scarf. As a symbol of jurisdictionin the Roman Empire, the supreme pontiff (the pope, or bishop of Rome) conferred it upon archbishops and, later, upon bishops, as emblematic of their sharing in the papal authority."
- 2 A stolon.
- 3 a wide scarf worn about their shoulders by women wordnet
- 4 A scarf-like garment, often made of fur.
Verb
- 1 simple past of steal form-of, past
"TransPennine Express has removed all QR codes from its 71 car parks after scammers covered up a genuine code sticker with a false one and stole £13,000 from a woman's bank account."
- 2 past participle of steal archaic, colloquial, form-of, participle, past
"[…]when indeed they have ſeen nothing, but have ſtole the word of the Lord from others, and borrowed from their neighbour[…]"
Antonyms
Example
"The police are really good at understanding "Someone stole my credit card and ran up a lot of charges." It's a lot harder to get them to buy into "Someone stole my magic sword.""
Common questions
What is a synonym for "stole"?
Common synonyms include: cape, collar, dominate, garment, muffler, neckwear.
How do you use "stole" in a sentence?
The police are really good at understanding "Someone stole my credit card and ran up a lot of charges." It's a lot harder to get them to buy into "Someone stole my magic sword."
How do you pronounce "stole"?
Pronounced /stəʊl/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.
Etymology 2
From Old English stole, from Latin stola, from Ancient Greek στολή (stolḗ, “stole, garment, equipment”); akin to stall. Doublet of stola.
Etymology 3
From Latin stolō. Doublet of stolon.