/rob/ , v. , robbed, robbing .
v.t.
1. to take something from (someone) by unlawful force or threat of violence; steal from.
2. to deprive (someone) of some right or something legally due: They robbed her of her inheritance.
3. to plunder or rifle (a house, shop, etc.).
4. to deprive of something unjustly or injuriously: The team was robbed of a home run hitter when the umpire called it a foul ball. The shock robbed him of his speech.
5. Mining. to remove ore or coal from (a pillar).
v.i.
6. to commit or practice robbery.
7. rob Peter to pay Paul , to take something from one person or thing to pay one's debt or hypothetical debt to another, as to sacrifice one's health by overworking.
[ 1175-1225; ME robben robber roubon. See REAVE 1 ]
Syn. 1. ROB, RIFLE, SACK refer to seizing possessions that belong to others. ROB is the general word for taking possessions by unlawful force or violence: to rob a bank, a house, a train. A term with a more restricted meaning is RIFLE, to make a thorough search for what is valuable or worthwhile, usually within a small space: to rifle a safe. On the other hand, SACK is a term for robbery on a huge scale during war; it suggests destruction accompanying pillage, and often includes the indiscriminate massacre of civilians: to sack a town or district. 2. defraud, cheat.