thefte

Middle English

Alternative forms

• theeft, theffte, theft, þeeft, þeefte, þeft, þiefþe
• þyefþe (Kent); thifthe, þefþe, þeffþe, þeofðe, þeofte, þeofþe, þeuft, þufþe (Southern, West Midland)
• thift, thifte, thyft, þift, þifte (East Saxon or Northern)

Etymology

Inherited from Old English þīefþ, from Proto-West Germanic *þiubiþu, from Proto-Germanic *þiubiþō; by surface analysis, thef (“thief”) +‎ -the (“abstract nominal suffix”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈθɛft(ə)/, /ˈθɛfθ(ə)/, /ˈθeː-/
• IPA^(key): /ˈθift(ə)/ (East Saxon), /θift/ (Northern)
• IPA^(key): /ˈðyfθ(ə)/, /ˈðœfθ(ə)/ (Southern, Southwest Midland)

Noun

thefte

1. Theft, stealing, robbery (in general or as an individual instance):
   1. Financial fraud; the mishandling of money.
   2. Something seen as analogous or equivalent to theft.
2. (rare) Stolen or illegally acquired goods.

Descendants

• English: theft
• Middle Scots: thift
  • Scots: thift, theft

References

• “thẹ̄̆ft(e, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 21 October 2018.