Definition

1. Verb:
   • To take (something) by theft; to steal: The act of taking property that belongs to someone else without permission and with the intent to keep it permanently.

Usage

• The verb "thieve" is used to describe the action of stealing. It is a formal or literary synonym for "steal."
• It is typically used in the simple past tense ("thieved") or as a present participle ("thieving").
• It can be used both transitively (with a direct object) and intransitively (without one).

Examples

• Transitive use (with an object):
  • The servant was accused of thieving silverware from the mansion.
  • He was caught thieving money from the cash register.
• Intransitive use (without an object):
  • He was arrested for thieving.
  • In the story, the character turned to thieving to survive.

Advanced Usage

• "To go thieving": to go out with the intention of stealing.
  • The gang would go thieving in the marketplace at night.
• Used in a continuous or gerund form to describe the habitual activity or profession.
  • He was known for a life of thieving.

Variants and Related Words

• Thief (n): a person who steals.
  • The thief was apprehended by the police.
• Thievery (n): the action or practice of stealing.
  • The town was plagued by thievery.
• Thieving (adj/n): (used as an adjective) given to or involving theft; (used as a noun) the act of stealing.
  • The thieving magpie is a common motif in folklore.
  • He was accused of thieving.

Synonyms

• Steal: to take something without right or permission.
• Pilfer: to steal (typically things of relatively little value).
• Purloin: to appropriate wrongfully (often used in formal contexts).
• Filch: to steal (something of small value) in a casual way.
• Snatch: to take something quickly or eagerly, often by stealing.

Phrasal Verbs

(Note: "Thieve" is not commonly used in phrasal verb constructions. The concept is more frequently expressed with the verb "steal," e.g., "steal away," "steal from.")

Related Idioms

• To live by thieving: to sustain oneself through stealing.
  • The outlaws lived by thieving from passing caravans.
• A den of thieves: a place where thieves gather or live.
  • The tavern was considered a den of thieves.

Verb

1. take by theft
   • Someone snitched my wallet!