theft

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English

Etymology

From Middle English theft, thefte, þefte, þefþe, þiefþe, Old English þīefþ, from Proto-West Germanic *þiubiþu, from Proto-Germanic *þiubiþō, from *þeubaz (“thief”), equivalent to thief +‎ -th or thieve +‎ -th. Cognate with Old Frisian thiuvethe, thiufthe (“theft”), dialectal Dutch diefte (“theft”), obsolete German Diebde (“theft”), Icelandic þýfð (“theft”).

Pronunciation

  • (UK, US) IPA(key): /θɛft/
    • Audio (Southern England)(file)
  • Rhymes: -ɛft

Noun

theft (countable and uncountable, plural thefts)

  1. The act of stealing property.
    resource theft
    Bike theft is on the rise.
    A suspect was arrested for the theft of a gold necklace.
    • 2007 July 5, Charles Hugh Smith, When Lies Become Normal, Is Truth Dead or Just in Hiding?‎:
      If you steal a candy bar, you are guilty of theft, regardless of the value.

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Further reading

Middle English

Noun

theft

  1. Alternative form of thefte
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