thiefthief /θiːf/ ●●○ noun (plural thieves /θiːvz/) [countable] 
Thieves broke into the offices and stole some computer equipment.a car/jewel etc thief They were nothing but petty thieves (=thieves who steal small things). → be (as) thick as thieves at thick1(12)THESAURUSthief someone who steals things from a person or place: · The thief grabbed her handbag and ran off down the street.· Car thieves are operating in this area.burglar someone who goes into houses, offices etc to steal things: · Burglars broke into the house and took a computer worth £1,000.· Police believe the burglar got in through the kitchen window.robber someone who steals from banks, offices, houses etc, especially using threats or violence: · a gang of bank robbers· an armed robber (=a robber with a gun)shoplifter someone who takes things from shops without paying for them, especially by hiding them in their clothes or in a bag: · The store has installed hidden cameras to catch shoplifters.pickpocket someone who steals from people’s pockets, especially in a crowded public place: · Look out for pickpockets in busy tourist areas.mugger a thief who violently attacks someone in the street and robs them: · The mugger punched him in the face and tried to steal his wallet.joyrider someone who steals a car and drives it very fast for fun: · Police pursued the teenage joyriders across three counties.looter someone who breaks into shops or homes and steals things, after there has been a natural disaster, a war, or a violent protest: · Police chiefs have warned that looters will be shot.bandit a member of an armed group of thieves who travel around attacking people in country areas: · The village was attacked by a gang of bandits.poacher someone who hunts animals, birds etc illegally on other people’s land: · Their job is to prevent poachers from killing the elephants.
WORD ORIGINthief
Origin:
Old English theofEXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- Thieves took a marble statue from the church sometime last night.
- a car thief
- She accused me of being a thief and a liar.
- The thieves had been careful not to leave any fingerprints.
- Warning! Car thieves are operating in this area.
- All I could think was how brave the thief was, or how desperate.
- But the Colonel was more than a thief of funds.
- Colin Fountain says they've taken measures to stop thieves getting in.
- Elle Folk are great thieves of dough and other food, and are strange-looking indeed.
- In most cases the thieves targeted cars which had been left with bags or other valuables clearly visible.
- These were the zeks - they might be killers or thieves or rapists or parasites or hooligans.
- Unfortunately, most would probably become the fiefs of thieves and warlords.
- Well, all archaeologists were thieves, of a sort.
THESAURUS
someone who steals things from a person or place: · The thief grabbed her handbag and ran off down the street.· Car thieves are operating in this area.
someone who goes into houses, offices etc to steal things: · Burglars broke into the house and took a computer worth £1,000.· Police believe the burglar got in through the kitchen window.
someone who steals from banks, offices, houses etc, especially using threats or violence: · a gang of bank robbers· an armed robber (=a robber with a gun)
someone who takes things from shops without paying for them, especially by hiding them in their clothes or in a bag: · The store has installed hidden cameras to catch shoplifters.
someone who steals from people’s pockets, especially in a crowded public place: · Look out for pickpockets in busy tourist areas.
a thief who violently attacks someone in the street and robs them: · The mugger punched him in the face and tried to steal his wallet.
someone who steals a car and drives it very fast for fun: · Police pursued the teenage joyriders across three counties.
someone who breaks into shops or homes and steals things, after there has been a natural disaster, a war, or a violent protest: · Police chiefs have warned that looters will be shot.
a member of an armed group of thieves who travel around attacking people in country areas: · The village was attacked by a gang of bandits.
someone who hunts animals, birds etc illegally on other people’s land: · Their job is to prevent poachers from killing the elephants.
Longman Language Activatorsomeone who steals someone who steals things, usually secretly and without violence: · The thieves had been careful not to leave any fingerprints.· She accused me of being a thief and a liar.car thief/jewel thief etc (=someone who steals cars, jewels etc): · Warning! Car thieves are operating in this area.
someone who steals from banks, offices, houses etc, especially by using threats or violence: · The robbers forced bank staff to give them £4000 in cash.bank robber (=someone who robs a bank): · A young teller was shot dead by bank robbers today.armed robber (=a robber with a gun)
someone who illegally gets into a house, office etc and steals things: · Police believe the burglar got in through the kitchen window.
someone who takes things from shops without paying for them, especially by hiding them in their clothes or in a bag: · The store has installed hidden cameras to catch shoplifters.· They have a policy of prosecuting all shoplifters.
someone who steals from people in a public place, by taking things from their pockets or bags without them noticing: · There are a lot of pickpockets in crowded tourist areas, so look after your belongings.
a thief who violently attacks someone in the street and robs them: · Harry suffered serious head injuries when he was attacked by a gang of muggers.
someone who steals a car and drives it very fast for fun: · Two joyriders died when their car crashed during a police chase.
someone who has a mental illness that makes them want to steal things, especially small things: · She must be some kind of kleptomaniac -- she can't go into a bar without coming out with a stack of glasses.
WORD SETSabet, verbaccusation, nounaccuse, verbaffray, nounarson, nounassault, nounassault and battery, nounbackhander, nounbattery, nounbigamy, nounblack market, nounblack marketeer, nounbreak-in, nounbreaking and entering, nouncaper, nouncapital, adjectivecarjacking, nouncat burglar, nouncontract, nouncosh, nouncounterfeit, adjectivecounterfeit, verbcover, nouncrack, verbcriminal, adjectivecriminal, nouncriminal law, nouncriminal record, nouncriminology, nouncrook, nounculpable, adjectiveculprit, noundefamation, noundefraud, verbdelinquency, noundelinquent, adjectivedelinquent, noundesperado, noundisorderly, adjectivedrug baron, noundrug runner, nounDUI, nounembezzle, verbexpropriate, verbextort, verbeyewitness, nounfelon, nounfelony, nounfence, nounfiddle, nounfiddle, verbfiddler, nounfilch, verbfinger, verbfire-raising, nounfirst offender, nounflash, verbflasher, nounforge, verbforger, nounforgery, nounfoul play, nounframe, verbframe-up, nounfratricide, nounfraud, nounfreebooter, noungang, noungang-bang, noungang rape, noungangster, nounGBH, noungenocide, noungetaway, noungodfather, noungrand larceny, noungrass, noungrievous bodily harm, nounheist, nounhijack, verbhijack, nounhijacking, nounhit, nounhit-and-run, adjectivehit man, nounincriminate, verbindecent assault, nounindecent exposure, nouninfanticide, nounjob, nounjoyriding, nounjuvenile delinquent, nounkidnap, verblarceny, nounlibel, nounlibel, verblibellous, adjectivelow life, nounmafioso, nounmalpractice, nounmanslaughter, nounmassacre, nounmassacre, verbmatricide, nounmisappropriate, verbmisconduct, nounmisdeed, nounmisdemeanour, nounmobster, nounmoll, nounmug, verbmugshot, nounmurder, nounmurder, verbmurderer, nounmurderess, nounmuscleman, nounnark, nounnefarious, adjectiveneighbourhood watch, nounnick, verbno-go area, nounoffence, nounoffend, verboffender, nounold lag, nounorganized crime, nounoutlaw, nounparricide, nounpatricide, nounpetty larceny, nounPhotofit, nounpiracy, nounplant, verbpoach, verbpoacher, nounpossession, nounprivateer, nounprotection, nounprowl, verbprowler, nounpublic nuisance, nounpull, verbpunk, nounpurloin, verbraid, nounram-raiding, nounrape, verbrape, nounrapist, nounravish, verbreceiver, nounreceiving, nounrecidivist, nounregicide, nounring, nounringleader, nounriotous, adjectiverob, verbrobber, nounrobbery, nounroll, verbrustler, nounscheme, nounscheme, verbshady, adjectiveshoplift, verbshoplifting, nounslander, nounsmuggle, verbsnout, nounspeeding, nounstabbing, nounstalking, nounstatutory offence, nounstatutory rape, nounsteal, verbstoolpigeon, nounsupergrass, nounsuspect, nounswag, nountheft, nounthief, nounthievish, adjectivetorch, verbtraffic, nountrafficker, nountriad, noununder-the-counter, adjectiveunderworld, nounundesirable, nounvagrancy, nounvandal, nounvandalism, nounvandalize, verbvice, nounvigilante, nounvillainy, nounviolate, verbviolation, nounwanted, adjective
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY They were nothing but petty thieves (=thieves who steal small things).COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADJECTIVE
They were nothing but petty thieves (=thieves who steal small things).· Most burglaries are the work of petty thieves on the look our for an easy opportunity.· Habitual petty thieves and drug addicts dumped on top of their already bulging caseload become their newest clients.· Twenty-three years old. Petty thief.
NOUN· This standard feature makes it very difficult for a car thief to steal a Clio and falsify its identity.· Alicia Silverstone is a poor little rich girl and Benicio Del Toro is a car thief drawn into a kidnapping plot.· In an attempt to beat the car thief more sophisticated alarms are being brought on to the market.· He was Paul Lazzaro, the polka-dotted car thief from Cicero, Illinois.· He was a professional car thief.· Craig Cook, a reformed car thief, explains how easy it is to break into a car.· The car thieves jumped out and escaped on foot as the stolen vehicle ran into the house.· Craig says he believes this would make a would-be car thief think twice before trying to steal a protected car.
· Ah, a glamorous jewel thief.· The Wall Street Journal once described him as looking like an international jewel thief.
VERB· Unfortunately, most would probably become the fiefs of thieves and warlords.· If they had no money, then likely they would have become thieves.· As the possession of documentation for stolen cattle became important, thieves began to turn stolen animals in as strays.· This was rejected on the grounds that such sinister tunnels would become lurking places for thieves.· But to become a thief, a real thief that was a step away from herself.
· Cottage raided: Cash totalling to £1,500 was stolen when thieves broke into a holiday cottage in Gayle, near Hawes.· The canisters containing the pellets were stolen on Thursday night by thieves who broke into a storeroom at a Berkshire nature park.· One night a thief broke into the church to steal jewels from the Madonna on the High Altar.· A £70 pair of sunglasses was taken from one car and thieves tried to break into another.· The thieves broke into Birdland in Bourton on the Water at night.· The thief broke into the house between 2.30 and 9.30 p.m. on Saturday.· And thieves broke into their Cumberland Street home and stole all their wedding presents.· Yesterday Mike Dodd, of the authority's finance department, said the thieves broke in through a store room window.
· They call me Chernayev the thief.· She rang her boss, who told her to call the thief.· She told them about her house and that the managers were calling her a thief.· Was the chaplain angry at being called a thief?
· Nobody can leave the planet - not before we've caught the dangerous thief.
· He was satisfied that this stolen gun and this thief Tucker had nothing to do with the people who had injured him.· Instead of stealing away like a thief in the night!· Cottage raided: Cash totalling to £1,500 was stolen when thieves broke into a holiday cottage in Gayle, near Hawes.· Work, rest and steal SWEET-TOOTHED thieves made off with 230,000 Mars Bars in a cheeky raid on the world-famous chocolate factory.
PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
someone who steals things from another person or place: - Neville Chamberlain wrote that the Cabinet was a nest of intrigue, which was, considering everything, an understatement.
- Perhaps we're in the middle of a nest of spies whom Meredith-Lee was about to unmask.
- Amongst them were pickpockets, alcoholics, pimps, drug peddlers and other petty criminals.
- Before they met me, Steve and Paul were just petty criminals, didn't know nothing about nothing.
- Habitual petty thieves and drug addicts dumped on top of their already bulging caseload become their newest clients.
- Most burglaries are the work of petty thieves on the look our for an easy opportunity.
- Over the years several have been the victim of petty criminals.
- The Home Secretary was not about to be seen as going soft on the petty criminal.
- All among the trees, the birds are thick as thieves and noisy as conventioneers.
- Then they'd be as thick as thieves again.
Thieves broke into the offices and stole some computer equipment.a car/jewel etc thief They were nothing but petty thieves (=thieves who steal small things). → be (as) thick as thieves at thick1(12)THESAURUSthief someone who steals things from a person or place: · The thief grabbed her handbag and ran off down the street.· Car thieves are operating in this area.burglar someone who goes into houses, offices etc to steal things: · Burglars broke into the house and took a computer worth £1,000.· Police believe the burglar got in through the kitchen window.robber someone who steals from banks, offices, houses etc, especially using threats or violence: · a gang of bank robbers· an armed robber (=a robber with a gun)shoplifter someone who takes things from shops without paying for them, especially by hiding them in their clothes or in a bag: · The store has installed hidden cameras to catch shoplifters.pickpocket someone who steals from people’s pockets, especially in a crowded public place: · Look out for pickpockets in busy tourist areas.mugger a thief who violently attacks someone in the street and robs them: · The mugger punched him in the face and tried to steal his wallet.joyrider someone who steals a car and drives it very fast for fun: · Police pursued the teenage joyriders across three counties.looter someone who breaks into shops or homes and steals things, after there has been a natural disaster, a war, or a violent protest: · Police chiefs have warned that looters will be shot.bandit a member of an armed group of thieves who travel around attacking people in country areas: · The village was attacked by a gang of bandits.poacher someone who hunts animals, birds etc illegally on other people’s land: · Their job is to prevent poachers from killing the elephants.