Definition

Noun (slang): A thief, especially a pickpocket or a sneak thief. The term "gonof" is derived from Yiddish "ganef" (גנב), meaning "thief."

Usage Examples

• (Thieves who steal from people in public places.)
• (A habitual thief.)

Advanced Usage

• "a gonof of the first order": A particularly skilled or persistent thief.
  • The police finally caught a gonof of the first order who had been operating for years. (A highly accomplished criminal.)

Variants and Related Words

• Gonoph (noun): An alternate spelling of "gonof," with the same meaning.
  • The old detective had dealt with many gonophs in his long career. (Thieves.)

Synonyms

• Thief: a person who steals another person's property.
• Pickpocket: a thief who steals from people's pockets.
• Sneak thief: a thief who steals without using force or breaking in.

Related Idioms

• To play the gonof: To act like a thief or engage in thievery.
  • He was caught playing the gonof at the local fair. (Stealing from visitors.)