pilfre

English

Etymology

From Middle English pilfre (“booty”), from Old French pelfre (“plunder, booty, spoils”), of unknown origin. Compare pelf.

Verb

pilfre (third-person singular simple present pilfres, present participle pilfring, simple past and past participle pilfred)

1. (transitive, intransitive) Obsolete spelling of pilfer.
   • 1589, Geo Puttentiam, chapter XXII, in The Arte of English Poesie, London: Richard Field, page 212:

     […] this man deſerues to be endited of pety larceny for pilfring other mens deuiſes from them […]