Thief

Pronunciation: /θif/

Definitions of thief

noun A person who steals, especially secretly or without open force; a robber or a burglar.

Example Sentences

A1 The thief stole my wallet.

A2 The police caught the thief red-handed.

B1 The thief was sentenced to five years in prison for robbery.

B2 The art thief was known for stealing famous paintings from museums around the world.

C1 The master thief was able to break into the high-security vault undetected.

C2 The notorious thief had a network of accomplices who helped him carry out elaborate heists.

Examples of thief in a Sentence

formal The thief was caught red-handed stealing from the jewelry store.

informal I heard that the thief got busted trying to steal a car last night.

slang That thief is always up to no good, trying to swipe stuff from people's houses.

figurative Jealousy is a thief of joy, so it's important to focus on gratitude instead.

Grammatical Forms of thief

• past tense: stole
• plural: thieves
• comparative: more thievish
• superlative: most thievish
• present tense: steals
• future tense: will steal
• perfect tense: has stolen
• continuous tense: is stealing
• singular: thief
• positive degree: thief
• infinitive: to steal
• gerund: stealing
• participle: stolen

Origin and Evolution of thief

First Known Use: 1250 year

Language of Origin: Old English

Story behind the word: The word 'thief' originated from the Old English word 'þeof', which was derived from the Proto-Germanic word 'theubaz'.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'thief' has retained its basic meaning of someone who steals, but its connotations have evolved to include a sense of dishonesty or deceitfulness.