| 释义 |
theft|θɛft|
Forms: α. 1 þéofð, þíefð, þýfð; 2–4 þeofþe, þefþe, 3–5 þufþe(ü), 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. *þiuƀiþa:—OTeut. *þeuƀiþā, f. *þeuƀoz, 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.
α688–95Laws 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. 695–6Laws of Wihtræd c. 25 ᵹif man leud ofslea an þeofðe, licge buton wyr-gelde. c1000Sax. Leechd. III. 186 Þyfð ᵹestrangað. c1175Lamb. Hom. 13 Ne do þu þeofðe. a1225Ancr. R. 202 Þe Vox of ȝiscunge haueð þeos hweolpes: Tricherie & Gile, Þeorðe, Reflac. c1290Beket 445 in S. Eng. Leg. I. 119 Ȝif a clerk hath ane Man a-slawe, oþur strong þeffþe i-do. 1297R. Glouc. (Rolls) 10361 Þe king..let prisouns vorþ bringe, Þat uor þufþe were inome, & uor oþer þinge. 1340Ayenb. 37 Þe oþer boȝ of auarice ys þyefþe. 1393Langl. P. Pl. C. iii. 92 In bargeyns and in brocages with þe borghe of þufþe [v.rr. þefþe, þefte]. a1450Knt. de la Tour (1906) 60 The theef dothe..delite hem in thifthe tille thei be taken and putte to dethe.
βc1250O. Kentish Serm. in O.E. Misc. 31 Þo grete sennen þet biedh diadliche Ase so is..þefte. a1300Cursor M. 15973 Iudas..Of his thift and his felunni, His moder al he tald. 1382Wyclif Matt. xv. 19 Of the herte gon out yuel thouȝtis, mansleayngis, auoutries, fornicaciouns, theftis. 1387Trevisa Higden (Rolls) V. 383 Mauricius..fondede to forbede his knyȝtes þifte [v.rr. þefþe, þeofþe]. c1450Brut 443 For treason & for þift þat thei had done to þe Kynge & to his liege peple. 1489Caxton Faytes of A. iv. ix. 251 To haue committed a smal theefte. 1552Huloet, Theaft in stealynge cattell, abigeatus. 1570Levins Manip. 52/44 Theft, furtum. Ibid. 118/5 Thift, furtum. 1577Holinshed Chron., Hist. Scot. I. 440/1 Accused of theft, and of receiuing and mainteining of theeues. 1605Shakes. Macb. ii. iii. 151. 1629 Sir W. Mure True Crucifixe 1133 To hide the thift. 1771Junius Lett. lxv. (1820) 328 The thief was taken in the theft. 1909Q. Rev. July 176 His borrowings were not thefts but prolific suggestions.
†b. by theft, stealthily, furtively, by secret craft. Obs. rare—1.
c1470Henry 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.
962–3Laws of Edgar iv. c. 2 §2 To ðy þæt..þeof nyte, hwær he þyfþe [MS. C. þeofte] befæste. c1175Lamb. Hom. 57 Ne þu naȝest for to stele, Ne nan þefþe for to heole. a1300Cursor M. 6754 Þat he mai yeild again his thift, He sal be saald. 1340Ayenb. 38 Þe þyeues be uelaȝrede byeþ þo þet parteþ of þe þyefþe. 1413Pilgr. Sowle (Caxton 1483) iii. v. 53 The theft which they haue stolen ye haue you self receyued. 1530Tindale Exod. xxii. 4 Yf the thefte [Wyclif, that that he hath stoln] be founde in his hande alyue..he shall restore double. 1665G. Havers P. della Valle's Trav. E.I. 145 We found the theft in his breeches ty'd to his naked flesh. 1864Kingsley 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.
1613–16W. Browne Brit. Past. ii. i, What store of houres theft-guilty night had spent. 1907Westm. Gaz. 19 Oct. 9/2 The Police Commissioner..gave it as his opinion that the theft theory was the most probable. |