thieves

noun, plural thieves.

1. a person who steals, especially secretly or without open force; one guilty of theft or larceny.

verb (used with object), thieved, thiev·ing.

1. to take by theft; steal.

verb (used without object), thieved, thiev·ing.

2. to act as a thief; commit theft; steal.

verb

1. to steal (someone’s possessions)

noun plural thieves (θiːvz)

1. a person who steals something from another
2. criminal law a person who commits theft

n.Old English þeof, from Proto-Germanic *theubaz (cf. Old Frisian thiaf, Old Saxon thiof, Middle Dutch dief, Old High German diob, German dieb, Old Norse þiofr, Gothic þiufs), probably from PIE *teup- (cf. Lithuanian tupeti “to crouch down”). v.Old English þeofian, from þeof (see thief). Rare in Old English, not common until 17c. Thieving first attested 1520s.