Meaning & use
thieve
Last updated
Meanings
verbintransitiveformal
To steal things, especially regularly or as a way of life.
Grammar: Used without an object; often in the -ing form as an adjective: a thieving magpie.
He spent his youth thieving in the markets of the old city.
The gang had been thieving for years before they were caught.
She couldn't believe her own brother was thieving from their mother.
verbtransitiveformalrare
To steal something from someone or a place.
Grammar: Takes an object: thieve money, thieve goods. Rare; steal is far more common.
Patterns
- thieve something from someone
Someone had thieved the jewels from the safe overnight.
They thieved food from the village stores during the harsh winter.
Word forms
| third person singular | thieves |
|---|---|
| past tense | thieved |
| past participle | thieved |
| -ing form | thieving |
Common combinations
- thieving magpie
- The thieving magpie stole a shiny ring from the windowsill.
- thieving ways
- He promised to give up his thieving ways.
- caught thieving
- The boy was caught thieving apples from the orchard.
Synonyms and how they differ
- steal
- Steal is the everyday verb and can take an object: steal a car; thieve is formal and usually intransitive.
- rob
- Rob means to take things from a person or place, often with force; thieve simply means to steal.
- pilfer
- Pilfer means to steal small amounts, often repeatedly; thieve is broader and more formal.
Word family
Commonly confused: thieve or thief?
thieve vs thief
Thief is a noun (a person who steals); thieve is a verb (to steal).
Practice
Which sentence uses 'thieve' correctly?
Choose one answer.
Thieve is intransitive, so it does not take a direct object like 'the bank' or 'a book' in standard usage; it is used without an object, as in 'They thieve to survive.' 'The thieve' is wrong because 'thieve' is a verb, not a noun.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “thieve”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.