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).}}

Verb

(en verb)

To pillage, take or destroy all the goods of, by force (as in war); to raid, sack.

''The mercenaries plundered the small town.

The shopkeeper was plundered of his possessions by the burglar.

To take (goods) by pillage.

The mercenaries plundered all the goods they found.

To take by force or wrongfully; to commit robbery or looting, to raid.

''"Now to plunder , mateys!" screamed a buccaneer, to cries of "Arrgh!" and "Aye!" all around.

To make extensive (over)use of, as if by plundering; to use or use up wrongfully.

''The miners plundered the jungle for its diamonds till it became a muddy waste.

* 2014 , , " Southampton hammer eight past hapless Sunderland in barmy encounter", The Guardian , 18 October 2014:

The Serb teed up Steve Davis, who crossed low for Graziano Pellè to plunder his fifth league goal of the campaign.