Shoplift

Pronunciation: /ʃɑːplɪft/

Definitions of shoplift

verb to steal goods from a store while pretending to be a customer

Example Sentences

A1 She shoplifted a candy bar from the store.

A2 The teenager was caught shoplifting at the mall.

B1 Shoplifting is considered a criminal offense in many countries.

B2 The security guard apprehended the shoplifter before they could leave the store.

C1 The shoplifter was charged with theft and taken to court.

C2 Despite the consequences, some people still choose to shoplift for various reasons.

Examples of shoplift in a Sentence

formal The security guard caught the individual attempting to shoplift from the department store.

informal I heard that someone tried to shoplift from the mall yesterday.

slang She got busted for trying to shoplift some clothes from the store.

figurative He always tries to shoplift credit for other people's ideas during meetings.

Grammatical Forms of shoplift

• past tense: shoplifted
• plural: shoplifts
• comparative: more shoplifted
• superlative: most shoplifted
• present tense: shoplift
• future tense: will shoplift
• perfect tense: have shoplifted
• continuous tense: is shoplifting
• singular: shoplifter
• positive degree: shoplift
• infinitive: to shoplift
• gerund: shoplifting
• participle: shoplifting

Origin and Evolution of shoplift

First Known Use: 1676 year

Language of Origin: English

Story behind the word: The word 'shoplift' originated from the combination of 'shop' and 'lift', where 'lift' means to steal or take something without permission.

Evolution of the word: Originally used to describe the act of stealing from a shop or store, the term 'shoplift' has evolved to also encompass the act of concealing items on one's person while in a retail establishment with the intent to steal.