theft
(θɛft)
Forms: α. 1 þéofð, þ{iacu}efð, þ{yacu}fð; 2–4 þeofþe, þefþe, 3–5 þufþe(ü), 4 (Ayenb.) þiefþe, þyefþe, 5 thifthe. β. 1 þ{yacu}ft, þéoft, 4–5 þift, þeft, 4–7 thift, 5 thyft, 6 theaft, thieft, 4– theft; 3–5 þefte, 4–6 thefte, (4 þifte, þyfte, 5 theefte, 6 thifte).
[OE. WSax. þ{iacu}efð, þ{yacu}fð, later þ{yacu}ft, non-WSax. þéofð, later þéoft, = OFris. thiufthe, thiufte (obs. Du. diefte), ON. þ{yacu}fð, later þ{yacu}ft, Goth. *þiuƀiþa:—OTeut. *þeuƀiþā, f. *þeuƀo{supz}, thief + suffix -iþa = L. -itāt-em: see -th1 b, -t3 b. OE. showed two main dial. types: WSax. þ{iacu}efþ, later þ{yacu}fþ with umlaut; non-WS. þéofþ. In both, final þ after f became t by dissimilation; þeoft became þeft, theft. In ME. the various forms often had final -e from the oblique cases; north. dial. and Sc. had þift, þyft, thift from ON. þ{yacu}fð, þ{yacu}ft.]
1. The action of a thief; the felonious taking away of the personal goods of another; larceny; also, with a and pl., an instance of this.
| α 688–95 Laws of Ine c. 28 Be þeofes onfenge æt ðiefðe [MSS. B., H. ðyfðe]. Ibid. c. 73 ᵹif hit bið niht eald þiefð, ᵹebeten þa þone gylt þe hine ᵹefengon. 695–6 Laws of Wihtræd c. 25 ᵹif man leud ofslea an þeofðe, licge buton wyr-gelde. c 1000 Sax. Leechd. III. 186 Þyfð ᵹestrangað. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 13 Ne do þu þeofðe. a 1225 Ancr. R. 202 Þe Vox of ȝiscunge haueð þeos hweolpes: Tricherie & Gile, Þeorðe, Reflac. c 1290 Beket 445 in S. Eng. Leg. I. 119 Ȝif a clerk hath ane Man a-slawe, oþur strong þeffþe i-do. 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 10361 Þe king..let prisouns vorþ bringe, Þat uor þufþe were inome, & uor oþer þinge. 1340 Ayenb. 37 Þe oþer boȝ of auarice ys þyefþe. 1393 Langl. P. Pl. C. iii. 92 In bargeyns and in brocages with þe borghe of þufþe [v.rr. þefþe, þefte]. a 1450 Knt. de la Tour (1906) 60 The theef dothe..delite hem in thifthe tille thei be taken and putte to dethe. |
| β c 1250 O. Kentish Serm. in O.E. Misc. 31 Þo grete sennen þet biedh diadliche Ase so is..þefte. a 1300 Cursor M. 15973 Iudas..Of his thift and his felunni, His moder al he tald. 1382 Wyclif Matt. xv. 19 Of the herte gon out yuel thouȝtis, mansleayngis, auoutries, fornicaciouns, theftis. 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) V. 383 Mauricius..fondede to forbede his knyȝtes þifte [v.rr. þefþe, þeofþe]. c 1450 Brut 443 For treason & for þift þat thei had done to þe Kynge & to his liege peple. 1489 Caxton Faytes of A. iv. ix. 251 To haue committed a smal theefte. 1552 Huloet, Theaft in stealynge cattell, abigeatus. 1570 Levins Manip. 52/44 Theft, furtum. Ibid. 118/5 Thift, furtum. 1577 Holinshed Chron., Hist. Scot. I. 440/1 Accused of theft, and of receiuing and mainteining of theeues. 1605 Shakes. Macb. ii. iii. 151. 1629 Sir W. Mure True Crucifixe 1133 To hide the thift. 1771 Junius Lett. lxv. (1820) 328 The thief was taken in the theft. 1909 Q. Rev. July 176 His borrowings were not thefts but prolific suggestions. |
† b. by theft, stealthily, furtively, by secret craft.
Obs. rare—1.
| c 1470 Henry Wallace xi. 592 Thai be thyft hecht to put Wallace doun. |
2. concr. That which is or has been stolen; the proceeds of thieving. Now
rare.
| 962–3 Laws of Edgar iv. c. 2 §2 To ðy þæt..þeof nyte, hwær he þyfþe [MS. C. þeofte] befæste. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 57 Ne þu naȝest for to stele, Ne nan þefþe for to heole. a 1300 Cursor M. 6754 Þat he mai yeild again his thift, He sal be saald. 1340 Ayenb. 38 Þe þyeues be uelaȝrede byeþ þo þet parteþ of þe þyefþe. 1413 Pilgr. Sowle (Caxton 1483) iii. v. 53 The theft which they haue stolen ye haue you self receyued. 1530 Tindale Exod. xxii. 4 Yf the thefte [Wyclif, that that he hath stoln] be founde in his hande alyue..he shall restore double. 1665 G. Havers P. della Valle's Trav. E.I. 145 We found the theft in his breeches ty'd to his naked flesh. 1864 Kingsley Rom. & Teut. x. 284 If a free man be caught thieving,..he replaces the theft, and pays 80 solidi, or dies. |
3. attrib. and
Comb., as
theft-guilty adj.| 1613–16 W. Browne Brit. Past. ii. i, What store of houres theft-guilty night had spent. 1907 Westm. Gaz. 19 Oct. 9/2 The Police Commissioner..gave it as his opinion that the theft theory was the most probable. |