Theft

Forms: α. 1 þéofð, þíefð, þýfð; 2–4 þeofþe, þefþe, 3–5 þufþe(ii), 4 (Ayenb.) þiefþe, þyefþe, 5 thifthe. β. 1 þýft, 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. þíefð, þýfð, later þýft, non-WSax. þéofð, later þéoft, = OFris. thiufthe, thiufte (obs. Du. diefte), ON. þýfð, later þýft, Goth. *þiuðiþa:—OTeut. *þeuðiþā, f. *þeudo^z, THIEF + suffix -iþa = L. -itāt-em: see -TH¹ b, -T³ b. OE showed two main dial. types: WSax. þíefþ, later þýfþ 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. þýfð, þýft.]

  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 æet ðiefðe [MSS. B., H. ðyfðe]. Ibid., c. 73. ʓif hit bið niht eald þiefð, ʓebeten þa þone gylt þe hine ʓefengon.

695–6.  Laws of Wihtræd, c. 25. ʓif man leud ofslea an þeofðe, licge buton wyr-gelde.

c. 1000.  Sax. Leechd., III. 186. Þyfð ʓestrangað.

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. Ȝit 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. þerþe, 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. þerþe, 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.  Shaks., 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 þerþe 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.

1613–6.  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.