English Reference
noun

thieves

n.
US /ˈθivz/ UK /θˈiːvz/ thieves

  1. 01 A2 Elementary

    more than one person who steals things from others.

    the irregular plural form of 'thief', referring to multiple individuals who take property without permission.

    Simple

    The thieves broke into the shop at night and took all the jewelry.

    In context

    Police believe the thieves entered the building through a skylight, bypassing the sophisticated alarm system before escaping with several high-value paintings.

    Usage

    The plural form is irregular and follows the f-to-v pattern.

    Pitfall
    The thiefs stole my bicycle. The thieves stole my bicycle.

    The plural of 'thief' is irregular; you must change the 'f' to 'v' and add 'es'.

This entry
Level A2 · Elementary
Frequency Frequent
Updated