I. ˈräb verb
( robbed ; robbed ; robbing ; robs )
Etymology: Middle English robben, from Old French rober, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German roubōn to rob — more at reave
transitive verb
1.
a.
(1) : to take something away from (a person) by force : steal from
robs me of that which not enriches him — Shakespeare
robbed the messenger as he left the bank
(2) : to take personal property from (the person or presence of another) feloniously and by violence or threat of violence
b.
(1) : to remove valuables without right from (a place)
rob a safe
where the coyotes gathered most often they had robbed the henhouse — Jean Stafford
(2) : to take the contents of (a receptacle)
rob a hive of honey
raising, robbing, baiting, and lowering the traps — Ronald Sercombe
c. : to take away as loot : steal
contrive to rob the honey and subvert the hive — John Dryden
2.
a. : to deprive of something due, expected, or desired
speechless death, which robs my tongue from breathing native breath — Shakespeare
racketeering rings that were robbing guileless citizens — J.A.Morris b. 1904
not ready to agree that air power had changed the principles of warfare or robbed sea power of its sovereign values — S.L.A.Marshall
b. : to withhold unjustly or injuriously from a person or thing
concave surfaces are troublesome in that they tend to focus sound in some spots and rob sound energy from others — J.F.Nickerson
c. : to deprive (an opponent) of a hit or run in baseball by a spectacular play
3. : to exchange a less valuable card in one's hand for (another card)
4.
a. : to mine coal or ore without provision for the preservation of (a mine): as
(1) : to take out pillars of coal or ore from (a mine) as a final operation before the abandonment of the mine
(2) : to take out the richer and more accessible ores from (a mine) leaving valuable material behind while destroying the mine
b. : to mine (coal or ore) without provision for the preservation of the mine
intransitive verb
: to take without right or permission and usually by violence something belonging to another : commit robbery
Synonyms:
plunder , rifle , loot , thieve , burglarize : rob indicates the taking of another's property either by such felonious methods as violence, intimidation, or fraud, or, by extension, by any unjust procedure
to rob a bank
to rob one's partners by embezzlement
robbed of his good name by slander
plunder suggests despoiling and robbing in force, as by gangs, bandits, or soldiery, or on a massive scale
a band of Tories who were escaping after plundering the home of a patriotic resident — American Guide Series: Connecticut
went to prison for his activities as head of a ring which plundered at least $75,000,000 from the city — Paul Blanshard
rifle suggests a ransacking or more or less complete despoliation, sometimes done systematically
a boat presently came alongside with a gang of desperadoes, who boarded her, and rifled her of everything valuable — Francis Parkman
tomb was rifled by the sexton after her burial for the sake of her jewelry which had been buried with her — S.P.B.Mais
loot may add suggestions of extreme reprehensibility, as in situations involving barbarism, desperation, or colossal venality; sometimes it applies to pillaging by undisciplined soldiery or by mobs
looting the bodies of those killed in the wreck
a group of officials looting the state treasury
thieve may imply stealthy taking of another's possessions, often habitual or accustomed
thousands of these people have, since the liberation, become almost nomads, wandering about, thieving for their food — Ernest Bevin
burglarize technically implies a breaking and entering of premises, often with notable force
the house had been burglarized
burglarizing fur storage lofts
•
- rob the cradle
II. noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle French, from Arabic rubb
: the thickened juice of ripe fruit obtained by evaporation of the juice over a fire till it has the consistency of a syrup and afterward sometimes mixed with honey or sugar