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thief
[theef]
noun
plural
thievesa person who steals, especially secretly or without open force; one guilty of theft or larceny.
Synonyms: , ,
thief
/ θː /
noun
a person who steals something from another
criminal law a person who commits theft
Other 51Թ Forms
- underthief noun
- ˈٳ𱹾Ա noun
- ˈٳ𱹾 adverb
- ˈٳ𱹾 adjective
51Թ History and Origins
Origin of thief1
51Թ History and Origins
Origin of thief1
Synonym Study
Example Sentences
The incident Johnson attributed the incident to copper wire thieves — who were looking for copper in a place where there was none.
Los Angeles police are expected to maintain a presence in the neighborhood to ward off potential thieves and deter property crime.
It has operated mostly in wealthy enclaves of southern England since 2019 and, for a fee, its team of ex-police or ex-army guards can patrol villages, looking for burglars and car thieves.
Before he could take action, the feathered thief flew off with the mug.
He said the thieves “were really quick” in unloading the jewelry.
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When To Use
A thief is a person who steals, especially in secret and without using force or violence.The plural of thief is thieves. The related noun theft refers to the act or an instance of stealing.In general, intentionally taking something that doesn’t belong to you makes you a thief. The word most commonly refers to a person who steals money or physical property, but a thief can steal other things, such as ideas, information, or intellectual property.The word thief typically refers to a person who steals without anyone noticing, at least not when the theft is taking place. In contrast, a person who steals by using force, violence, or threats of force or violence would more likely be called a robber. Still, the word thief is used generally to refer to someone who steals. In this way, a robber is a kind of thief.Most instances of theft are crimes, but a person might still be called a thief if they’ve committed a theft that won’t get them arrested. You might call your sibling a thief when they steal a cookie from your plate, for example.Example: I don’t care that he only stole a few things—he stole them, and that makes him a thief.
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