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Purloin vs Larceny - What's the difference?

purloin | larceny |

As a verb purloin

is to take the property of another, often in breach of trust; to appropriate wrongfully; to steal.

As a noun larceny is

the unlawful taking of personal property as an attempt to deprive the legal owner of it permanently.

purloin

English

Verb

(en verb)
  • To take the property of another, often in breach of trust; to appropriate wrongfully; to steal.
  • * Milton
    • Had from his wakeful custody purloined / The guarded gold.
  • * {{quote-book
    • , year=1900 , author=One Who Was in It , title=Kruger's Secret Service , chapter=8 , pages=168-169 , passage=Probably my acquaintance, Mr Blank, therefore, would have been able, if he had so wished to do, to purloin the papers which he mentioned.}}
  • To commit theft; to thieve.
  • * {{quote-book
    • , year=2006 [1622] , author=William Gouge , title=Of Domestical Duties , isbn=1430309598 , page=454 , passage=The Apostle expressly forbiddeth servants to purloin (Titus 2:10).}}

    larceny

    English

    Noun

  • (legal) The unlawful taking of personal property as an attempt to deprive the legal owner of it permanently.
  • (legal) A larcenous act attributable to an individual.
    • That young man already has four assaults, a DUI, and a larceny on his record.

    Derived terms

    * grand larceny * petty larceny

    References