THEFT

larceny, theft, thievery, thieving, stealing

(noun) the act of taking something from someone unlawfully; “the thieving is awful at Kennedy International”

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology

Noun

theft (countable and uncountable, plural thefts)

The act of stealing property.

Synonyms

• See Thesaurus:theft

Source: Wiktionary

Theft, n. Etym: [OE. thefte, AS. Þiéfthe, Þ\'dffthe, Þeófthe. See Thief.]

1. (Law)

Definition: The act of stealing; specifically, the felonious taking and removing of personal property, with an intent to deprive the rightful owner of the same; larceny.

Note: To constitute theft there must be a taking without the owner's consent, and it must be unlawful or felonious; every part of the property stolen must be removed, however slightly, from its former position; and it must be, at least momentarily, in the complete possession of the thief. See Larceny, and the Note under Robbery.

2. The thing stolen. [R.] If the theft be certainly found in his hand alive, . . . he shall restore double. Ex. xxii. 4.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition