[f. THIEF + -DOM.]
1. The practice of theft; thieving, robbery. rare.
α. 1548. Hooper, Declar. Commandm., xi. 180. The grettist thyffdomme of all is Sacrilege, in robbing of the goodes appointid to an holye vse.
β. 1562. Phaer, Æneid, X. Dd iij. Who did their league by theuedom breke?
1887. P. M’Neill, Blawearie, 153. A’ we made by our thievdom, was—I lost a tooth and had my dowg’s tail destroyed.
2. The realm or domain of thieves.
α. 1864. Sat. Rev., 27 Aug., 272/1. A narrative illustrative of London thiefdom.
1888. A. Wardrop, Poems & Sk., 193. Literary thiefdom and Yankeedom are now synonymous.
β. 1861. Cornh. Mag., Nov., 645. A fiddler to play at the thievedom carnivals.
1870. H. W. Holland, in Gd. Words, 1 June, 391/2. In the interior of thievedom they have public-houses, beer-houses, shops, and lodging-houses, almost entirely to themselves.
