filch

IPA/fɪltʃ/
KK[fˈɪltʃ]IPA/fɪltʃ/

filch — verb

  • filchpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • filcheshe / she / it
  • filchedpast simple
  • filching-ing form

1. to take a small or unimportant thing that belongs to someone else, usually quiet

1.verbtransitiveC2
Definition

to take a small or unimportant thing that belongs to someone else, usually quietly and without permission.

Example

Ezra filched a handful of grapes from the fruit bowl on his way out.

filch + object + from + container

Yumi caught her little brother trying to filch coins from her purse.

filch + object + from + container

Common collocations
  • filch from a desk
  • filch from the kitchen
  • filch a snack
  • filch a pen
Synonyms
  • pilfer

    near-synonym; slightly more formal, often used for petty workplace theft

  • swipe

    informal; emphasises the quick grab more than the small value

  • pinch

    British informal; very close in meaning and register

  • nick

    British slang; broader — covers theft of any size

Antonyms
  • return

    give back something taken

Grammar Patterns

filch + object

filch + object + from + person/place

Usage Note

Object must be something small, cheap, or trivial — you can filch a biscuit or a pen, but not a car or a wallet full of cash. The act is usually furtive but not seriously criminal.

Common Mistakes

Robbers filched the bank vault.
Robbers emptied the bank vault.
'filch' is only for small, low-value items, not serious theft.
I filched my own pen from my bag.
I grabbed my own pen from my bag.
'filch' requires that the item belongs to someone else.

Word family

  • filcher
    nounC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

All five verbs describe taking what is not yours, but they differ in scale, register, and tone. 'Steal' is the neutral umbrella term — it covers everything from a candy bar to a car. 'Filch', 'pilfer', and 'pinch' all narrow the meaning to small, low-value items taken quietly: you filch a biscuit, pilfer office supplies, pinch a pen from a colleague's desk. 'Filch' carries a slightly playful or old-fashioned tone, the kind of word used in children's stories or light scolding. 'Pilfer' is a touch more formal and often shows up in workplace or legal contexts (pilfering from petty cash). 'Pinch' is mainly British and very colloquial. 'Swipe' emphasises the quick movement of the hand more than the small value — you can swipe something big and obvious. So: 'Aunt Beth saw her nephew filch a cookie from the jar' sounds gentle and amused, while 'the cashier was caught pilfering from the till' sounds workplace-serious.

filch ↗pilferswipe ↗pinch ↗steal ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • filch from someone's desk
  • filch from the kitchen

Prepositions

Etymology

Middle EnglishEnglish

First recorded in English around the 1560s as thieves' cant — slang used among criminals for petty stealing. Its earlier roots are unclear; some scholars connect it to the Middle English 'filchen' meaning to attack or steal, others to an old word for a hooked staff used by thieves. The word stayed mostly in informal use and never developed into a serious legal term, which is why it still carries that slightly comic, low-stakes flavour today.