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View synonyms for thief

thief

[ theef ]

noun

, plural thieves.
  1. a person who steals, especially secretly or without open force; one guilty of theft or larceny.

    Synonyms: highwayman, pickpocket, burglar



thief

/ θiːf /

noun

  1. a person who steals something from another
  2. criminal law a person who commits theft


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Derived Forms

  • ˈthievishness, noun
  • ˈthievishly, adverb
  • ˈthievish, adjective

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Other Words From

  • under·thief noun plural underthieves

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Word History and Origins

Origin of thief1

First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English thēof; cognate with Dutch dief, German Dieb, Old Norse thjōfr, Gothic thiufs

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Word History and Origins

Origin of thief1

Old English thēof; related to Old Frisian thiāf, Old Saxon thiof, Old High German diob, Old Norse thjōfr, Gothic thiufs

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Synonym Study

Thief, robber refer to one who steals. A thief takes the goods or property of another by stealth without the latter's knowledge: like a thief in the night. A robber trespasses upon the house, property, or person of another, and makes away with things of value, even at the cost of violence: A robber held up two women on the street.

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Example Sentences

Dear Thief is worthy of the abused critical adjectives philosophical, atmospheric, and masterful.

Rich man, poor man, beggar man, thief, doctor, lawyer, Indian chief, and all that.

All a thief had to do was take off the dial knob on the safe and place the little joker on inside of it.

After stealing 97 rare maps, serial map thief E. Forbes Smiley III was caught in the act.

Cole was clearly experimenting with this, the signature curve of his storytelling, while writing Every Day Is for the Thief.

He had seen the act committed, he felt sure but had made no effort whatever to stop the thief.

Why should not the thief have simply entered by the window of the study, which like the kitchen, was on the ground floor?

Oliver coloured involuntarily to find that the old thief had been reading his thoughts; but boldly said, Yes, he did want to know.

The blind man, missing his money, suspected who was the thief; but to accuse him would serve no purpose.

But, as many people know, and all may believe, running in a crowded London street is difficult—even to an expert London thief.

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thick-wittedthief ant