ˈtheft noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English thiefthe, thefthe, thefte, thifte, from Old English thīefth, thēofth, thȳfth; akin to Old Frisian thiūvethe, thiūfthe theft, Old Saxon thiubda, Old Norse thȳfth, thȳft; derivative from the stem of English thief
1.
a. : the act of stealing ; specifically : the felonious taking and removing of personal property with intent to deprive the rightful owner of it
b. : an instance of such an act
2. : the taking of property unlawfully (as by robbery, embezzlement, fraud)
has just ruled that theft from a spouse is possible — Journal of the American Judicature Society
3. obsolete : something that is stolen
if the theft be certainly found in his hand alive … he shall restore double — Exod 22: 4 (Authorized Version)