ETYM Old Eng. thef, theef, as. theóf; akin to OFries. thiaf, os. theof, thiof, Dutch dief, German dieb, Old High Germ. diob, Icel. thjôfr, Swed. tjuf, Dan. tyv, Goth. thiufs, thiubs, and perhaps to Lith. tupeti to squat or crouch down. Related to Theft.
(Irregular plural: thieves).
A criminal who takes property belong to someone else with the intention of keeping it.