shopliftingshop‧lift‧ing /ˈʃɒpˌlɪftɪŋ $ ˈʃɑːp-/ ●○○ noun [uncountable] 
Examples
She had been falsely accused of shoplifting in a clothing store.► see thesaurus at crime, steal
ExamplesEXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
Thesaurus- Shoplifting cost the major stores millions of dollars last year.
- Contrary to popular belief, shoplifting is neither a new word nor a new occurrence.
- Firms may be unaware of theft by their employees, and shops will not be aware of particular instances of shoplifting.
- However, while shoplifting occurred in the past, the extent of the crime has grown massively in recent years.
- Nevertheless this is a frequently-invoked image for certain women convicted of shoplifting.
- On a school outing he, and some other pupils, were involved in shoplifting.
- Only in the crime of shoplifting does the ratio of females convicted even approach that of males.
- She freely admitted that when she was shoplifting she was, in a way, hoping to go to prison.
- The usual run of mugging, housebreaking and shoplifting.
THESAURUScrimes of stealing► robbery
the crime of stealing things from shops, for example by hiding them in a bag or under your clothes: noun [countable, uncountable] the crime of stealing from a bank, shop etc: · Over £100,000 was stolen in the robbery.· The gang carried out a string of daring robberies.
► burglary noun [countable, uncountable] the crime of breaking into someone’s home in order to steal things: · There have been several burglaries in our area.
► theft noun [countable, uncountable] the crime of stealing something: · Car theft is a big problem.· thefts of credit cards
► shoplifting noun [uncountable] the crime of taking things from shops without paying for them: · They get money for drugs from shoplifting.
► fraud noun [countable, uncountable] the crime of getting money from people by tricking them: · He’s been charged with tax fraud.· credit card fraud
► larceny noun [uncountable] especially American English law the crime of stealing something: · He was found guilty of larceny.
► phishing noun [uncountable] the activity of tricking people into giving their personal details, bank numbers etc on the Internet, in order to steal money from them: · One in four computer users reports that they have been hit by phishing attempts.
► steal to illegally take something that belongs to someone else: · The thieves stole over £10,000 worth of computer equipment.· Thousands of cars get stolen every year.
► take to steal something – used when it is clear from the situation that you mean that someone takes something dishonestly: · The boys broke into her house and took all her money.· They didn’t take much – just a few items of jewellery.
► burgle British English, burglarize American English [usually passive] to go into someone’s home and steal things, especially when the owners are not there: · Their house was burgled while they were away.· If you leave windows open, you are asking to be burgled.
► rob to steal money or other things from a bank, shop, or person: · The gang were convicted of robbing a bank in Essex.· An elderly woman was robbed at gunpoint in her own home.· He’s serving a sentence for robbing a grocery store.
► mug to attack someone in the street and steal something from them: · People in this area are frightened of being mugged when they go out.· Someone tried to mug me outside the station.
► nick/pinch British English informal to steal something: · Someone’s nicked my wallet!· When I came back, my car had been pinched.
► embezzle to steal money from the organization you work for, especially money that you are responsible for: · Government officials embezzled more than $2.5 million from the department.
► shoplifting stealing things from a shop by taking them when you think no one is looking: · Shoplifting costs stores millions of pounds every year.
► phishing the activity of dishonestly persuading people to give you their credit card details over the Internet, so that you can steal money from their bank account: · Phishing is becoming very popular with computer criminals.
Longman Language Activatorthe crime of stealing► theft · This warehouse is not adequately protected against theft or vandalism.· The mayor is taking credit for decreases in theft since he took office.car/luggage/bicycle etc theft · The rate of bicycle theft in this area is very high.
► robbery the crime of stealing money or other things from a bank, shop etc, especially by using threats or violence: · Perkins was given five years in prison for robbery with violence.· Robbery was believed to be the motive for the killing.armed robbery (=when robbers carry weapons): · He made two escape attempts while serving a sentence for armed robbery.
► burglary the crime of illegally entering a house, office etc and stealing things: · Foster had been in prison twice already for burglary.· Burglary, murder and rape are all on the increase.· If you live in an area where burglary is common, it may be worth investing in an alarm system.
► shoplifting the crime of taking things from shops without paying for them: · Shoplifting cost the major stores millions of dollars last year.
► embezzlement the crime of stealing money from the place where you work, especially over a long period of time: · Taylor left the country to escape charges of embezzlement.embezzlement of: · The judge sentenced Walker to five years in prison for embezzlement of state funds.
► joyriding the crime of stealing a car and driving it very fast for fun: · Anyone found guilty of joyriding can now be sentenced for up to five years in prison.
► larceny the crime of stealing -- used especially in the American legal system: · Brook now faces probable jail after an indictment for larceny and income tax evasion.
WORD SETS► Crimeabet, verbaccusation, nounaccuse, verbaffray, nounarson, nounassault, nounassault and battery, nounbackhander, nounbattery, nounbigamy, nounblack market, nounblack marketeer, nounbreak-in, nounbreaking and entering, nouncaper, nouncapital, adjectivecarjacking, nouncat burglar, nouncontract, nouncosh, nouncounterfeit, adjectivecounterfeit, verbcover, nouncrack, verbcriminal, adjectivecriminal, nouncriminal law, nouncriminal record, nouncriminology, nouncrook, nounculpable, adjectiveculprit, noundefamation, noundefraud, verbdelinquency, noundelinquent, adjectivedelinquent, noundesperado, noundisorderly, adjectivedrug baron, noundrug runner, nounDUI, nounembezzle, verbexpropriate, verbextort, verbeyewitness, nounfelon, nounfelony, nounfence, nounfiddle, nounfiddle, verbfiddler, nounfilch, verbfinger, verbfire-raising, nounfirst offender, nounflash, verbflasher, nounforge, verbforger, nounforgery, nounfoul play, nounframe, verbframe-up, nounfratricide, nounfraud, nounfreebooter, noungang, noungang-bang, noungang rape, noungangster, nounGBH, noungenocide, noungetaway, noungodfather, noungrand larceny, noungrass, noungrievous bodily harm, nounheist, nounhijack, verbhijack, nounhijacking, nounhit, nounhit-and-run, adjectivehit man, nounincriminate, verbindecent assault, nounindecent exposure, nouninfanticide, nounjob, nounjoyriding, nounjuvenile delinquent, nounkidnap, verblarceny, nounlibel, nounlibel, verblibellous, adjectivelow life, nounmafioso, nounmalpractice, nounmanslaughter, nounmassacre, nounmassacre, verbmatricide, nounmisappropriate, verbmisconduct, nounmisdeed, nounmisdemeanour, nounmobster, nounmoll, nounmug, verbmugshot, nounmurder, nounmurder, verbmurderer, nounmurderess, nounmuscleman, nounnark, nounnefarious, adjectiveneighbourhood watch, nounnick, verbno-go area, nounoffence, nounoffend, verboffender, nounold lag, nounorganized crime, nounoutlaw, nounparricide, nounpatricide, nounpetty larceny, nounPhotofit, nounpiracy, nounplant, verbpoach, verbpoacher, nounpossession, nounprivateer, nounprotection, nounprowl, verbprowler, nounpublic nuisance, nounpull, verbpunk, nounpurloin, verbraid, nounram-raiding, nounrape, verbrape, nounrapist, nounravish, verbreceiver, nounreceiving, nounrecidivist, nounregicide, nounring, nounringleader, nounriotous, adjectiverob, verbrobber, nounrobbery, nounroll, verbrustler, nounscheme, nounscheme, verbshady, adjectiveshoplift, verbshoplifting, nounslander, nounsmuggle, verbsnout, nounspeeding, nounstabbing, nounstalking, nounstatutory offence, nounstatutory rape, nounsteal, verbstoolpigeon, nounsupergrass, nounsuspect, nounswag, nountheft, nounthief, nounthievish, adjectivetorch, verbtraffic, nountrafficker, nountriad, noununder-the-counter, adjectiveunderworld, nounundesirable, nounvagrancy, nounvandal, nounvandalism, nounvandalize, verbvice, nounvigilante, nounvillainy, nounviolate, verbviolation, nounwanted, adjective
She had been falsely accused of shoplifting in a clothing store.► see thesaurus at crime, steal