A soft, whispering sound like leaves or paper moving, or the act of stealing livestock.
From Middle English, possibly from Old Norse or imitative origins—the sound itself inspired the word. Also developed a secondary meaning as American slang for cattle theft, common in the Old West.
Cattle rustling in the Old West wasn't just petty theft—it was a major economic crime that shaped frontier justice, and rustlers had a specific code of honor that made them more like Robin Hood figures to some people!
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