different between snitch vs purloin

English

Etymology

Origin uncertain. Perhaps an alteration of snatch, or a dialectal variant of sneak, from Middle English sniken, from Old English sn?can (“to creep; crawl”). More at sneak.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sn?t?/
• Rhymes: -?t?

Verb

snitch (third-person singular simple present snitches, present participle snitching, simple past and past participle snitched)

1. (transitive) To inform on, especially in betrayal of others.
2. (slang, transitive) To contact or cooperate with the police for any reason.
3. (dated, transitive) To steal, quickly and quietly.

Synonyms

• (to steal): filch, pilfer, pocket; See also Thesaurus:steal
• (to inform on): drop a dime, grass up, rat out; See also Thesaurus:rat out
• (cooperate with the police):

Translations

Noun

snitch (plural snitches)

1. A thief.
2. An informer, usually one who betrays his group.
3. (Britain) A nose.
   • 1897, W.S. Maugham, Lisa of Lambeth, chapter 1

     'Yah, I wouldn't git a second-'and dress at a pawnbroker's!'

     'Garn!' said Liza indignantly. 'I'll swipe yer over the snitch if yer talk ter me. [...] "
4. A tiny morsel.
   • 1963, Jack Schaefer, Monte Walsh, p 3

     "He pays for the food you eat," said the woman.

     "Yeah," said the boy. "And I earn every snitch doing everything ever gets done around here."

5. A ball used in the sports of Quidditch.

Synonyms

• (thief): filcher, pincher; See also Thesaurus:thief
• (informer): grass, mole, quisling, rat, stool pigeon; See also Thesaurus:informant
• (nose): schnozz, sneck; See also Thesaurus:nose
• (morsel): bite, snap, snippock

Derived terms

• snitches get stitches

• snitches get stitches and wind up in ditches

Translations

Anagrams

• chints

English

Etymology

From Middle English purloynen (“to remove”), borrowed from Anglo-Norman purloigner (“to put far away”), one of the variants of Old French porloignier. Doublet of prolong.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /p???l??n/
• Rhymes: -??n

Verb

purloin (third-person singular simple present purloins, present participle purloining, simple past and past participle purloined)

1. (transitive) To take the property of another, often in breach of trust; to appropriate wrongfully; to steal.
2. (intransitive) To commit theft; to thieve.

Translations