ENGLISH
REFERENCE

thief

n.
US //ˈθif// UK //θˈiːf// thief
  1. 1 one who steals (n.)
    A2 Elementary

    a person who takes something that belongs to someone else without permission.

    a person who steals another person's property, typically by stealth and without the use of force or violence.

    Example

    The thief ran away with her handbag before anyone could stop him.

    Example

    The thief managed to bypass the security system and escape with several valuable paintings before the guards noticed anything was missing.

    Usage

    The plural form is 'thieves'.

    Teacher's tip

    While 'thief' is a general term, teachers should note that 'robber' implies force and 'burglar' implies breaking into a building.
    Pitfall
    The thief robbed my phone from my bag.
    The thief stole my phone from my bag.

    You 'rob' a person or a place, but you 'steal' an object.

Idioms2 entries

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