Both Uses of
pilfer
in
Arrowsmith
- He had never, he raged, however stumbling he might have been, expected to find himself a little pilferer of love, a peeping, creeping area-sneak, and not even successful in his sneaking, less successful than the soda-clerks who swanked nightly with the virgins under the maples.†
Chpt 21pilferer = someone who steals things -- especially things of little value that are taken on a regular basis
- Furiously he pilfered pockets, and found a dozen beautiful cigarettes in a wrinkled and flattened paper case.†
Chpt 28 *pilfered = stolen
Definition:
to steal small amounts or unimportant items -- often repeatedly or secretly