释义 |
thief \ˈthēf\ noun (plural thieves \-ēvz\) Etymology: Middle English theef, from Old English thēof; akin to Old High German diob thief, Old Norse thjōfr, Gothic thiubs thief, Lithuanian tupėti to squat, crouch 1. a. : one who steals especially stealthily or secretly : one who commits theft or larceny b. archaic : freebooter, robber c. dialect Britain : scoundrel, rascal, scamp 2. : something that takes possession by stealth < procrastination is the thief of time > 3. also thief tube : a device for taking a sample especially of a liquid from a receptacle at any specified depth below the surface |