p. -stæl, pl. -stǽlon; subj. p. -stǽle, pl. -stǽlen; pp. -stolen To steal away or upon; fugere, obrepere :-- Gif hwá on óðre scíre hine bestele if any one steal himself away into another shire, L. In. 39; Th. i. 126, 10. Bestelan on Theodosius hindan to steal upon Theodosius behind, Ors. 6, 36; Bos. 131, 25. Hannibal bestæl on Marcellus Hannibal stole upon Marcellus, Ors. 4, 10; Bos. 94, 19 : Past. 28, 6; Hat. MS. 38 a, 6. Ðá he nihtes on ungearwe hí on bestæl, and hí swíðe forslóh and fordyde then he stole upon them unawares by night, and grievously slew and destroyed them, Ors. 1, 10; Bos. 33, 33. Hí nihtes bestǽlon ðære fyrde they stole upon the army by night, Chr. 876; Erl. 79, 13. Ðý-læs he on niht onweg fluge and bestǽle lest he should have fled and stole away by night, Bd. 4, 22; S. 591, 11. be-stelan