theft, thefte

[For thefth, from A. S. thiefdhe, the of the, thyfdhe, from theóf, thióf, thef = a thief; the of i an = to steal; cogn. with O. Fris. thiufthe, from thiaf a thief; Icel. thýfdh, thýft, from thjófr =a thief.] 1. The act of stealing or thieving. In law, the same as LARCENY (q. v.). "His thefts were too open; his filching was like an un. skilled singer, he kept not time."- Shakesp .: Merry Wives, i. 3. the thief. "Of a nature somewhat similar to the two last species of offences, is theft - bote ; which is where the party robbed not only knows the felon, but also takes his goods again, or other amends, upon agreement not to prosecute. This is frequently called compounding of felony; and for merly was held to make a man an acce ory: but is now punished with fine and imprisonment. To advertise a reward for the return of things stolen, or lost, with no questions asked, or words to the same purport, subjects the advertiser and the printer or publisher to a forfeiture of £50 to any person who will sue for the same, who is entitled also to his full costs of suit." - Black stone : Com ment., bk. iv., ch. 10. *theft-u-ous, a. [Eng. theft ; -uous .] 1. Lit .: Dishonest; inclined or inclining to acts of theft; involving theft. 2. Fig .: Hidden, sly, underhand. "When you have read the article of greatest celebrity in the current number of a periodical, you find that there has been no other motive to it than a theftuous hope to amuse an hour for you after dinner by serving up to you again the plums from some book." - Ma on : De Quincey, English Men of Letters , p. 138. the-gither, adv. [See def.] A Scotch form of Together (q. v.). "This bed looks as if a the colliers in Sanquhar had been in't thegither."-Scott: Guy Manner ing, ch. xlv. thêgn ( g silent), s. (THANE.]