| 释义 | 
		thief \ˈthēf\ noun (plural thieves \-ēvz\) Etymology: Middle English theef, from Old English thēof; akin to Old High German diob thief, Old Norse thjōfr, Gothic thiubs thief, Lithuanian tupėti to squat, crouch 1.   a.  : one who steals especially stealthily or secretly : one who commits theft or larceny  b. archaic  : freebooter, robber  c. dialect Britain  : scoundrel, rascal, scamp 2.  : something that takes possession by stealth  < procrastination is the thief of time > 3. also thief tube  : a device for taking a sample especially of a liquid from a receptacle at any specified depth below the surface |