Pronunciation: [θˈiːv] (IPA) 
The word "thieve" is a verb that means to steal. It is spelled with the digraph "ei" which makes the long "e" sound /i:/ and the letter "v" which makes the voiced labiodental fricative sound /v/. The IPA phonetic transcription of "thieve" is /θiːv/. It is important to remember that "thieve" does not have the same spelling as the noun form of stealing which is spelled "thief" with a digraph "ie" that makes the short "i" sound /ɪ/.
Thieve is a verb that refers to the act of stealing or taking something that does not belong to you, typically in a sneaky or dishonest manner. It is often used to describe the actions of a person who unlawfully appropriates someone else's possessions.
When someone engages in thieving, they unlawfully take something with the intention of keeping it for themselves or selling it for personal gain. This act is considered a crime in most legal systems and is generally frowned upon by society due to its unethical nature.
Thieving can occur in various contexts, whether it be someone pocketing small items from a shop without paying, forcefully taking valuables from another person, or embezzling money from a company's funds. The term can also be used metaphorically to describe actions that involve taking something in a dishonest or underhanded manner, such as ideas or credit for someone else's work.
The act of thieving often involves various methods of deception, such as pickpocketing, burglary, or identity theft. It can cause significant harm to the victims, leading to feelings of violation, loss, and mistrust. Laws and regulations are in place to deter and punish individuals who engage in thieving, aiming to maintain a fair and just society where people's rights to their property are protected.
To steal; to wrongly take the property of another.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "thieve" comes from the Middle English term "thieven", which can be traced back to the Old English word "thēofian". This Old English term evolved from the Proto-Germanic word "*theubōną", which meant "to steal". The root of this word likely originated from the Proto-Indo-European base "*tewb-", meaning "to rush" or "to haste". The word "thieve" has remained relatively unchanged in its meaning throughout its history, referring to the act of stealing or taking another person's belongings dishonestly.
