manstealing

[ man-stee-ling ]

noun

1. the act of kidnapping.

Word History and Origins

Origin of manstealing¹

First recorded in 1570–80; man + stealing

Example Sentences

What more ungodly sacriledge or manstealing can there be, then to purloin from godly Ministers the first born of their fervent prayers and faithfull preachings, the leven of their flocks, the incouragement of their soules, the Crowne of their labours, their Epistle to Heaven?

From Project Gutenberg

There never was any manstealing Nellie Ely.

From Time Magazine Archive

If he had merely accused the Christian man of the South, as he has so often done in his two stupid volumes on slavery, of the crimes of "swindling," of "theft," of "robbing," and of "manstealing," we could have borne with him well; and, as we have hitherto done, continued to pass by his labors with silent contempt.

From Project Gutenberg

To take any free man, whether white or black, by force, and sell him into bondage, is manstealing.

From Project Gutenberg

To make war for such a purpose, were, we admit, wholesale murder and manstealing combined.

From Project Gutenberg