thievery

English

Etymology

From thieve +‎ -ery. Compare Old Frisian deverie ("thievery; theft"; > West Frisian dieverij; Saterland Frisian Däiweräi), Dutch dieverij (“thievery”), German Low German Deveree (“thievery; theft”), German Dieberei (“thievery”), Danish tyveri (“thievery; theft; larceny”), Swedish tjuveri (“thievery”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈθiːv.(ə)ɹ.i/

Noun

thievery (plural thieveries)

1. The act of theft, the act of stealing.

   This instance of thievery will not be overlooked.

2. (obsolete) That which is stolen.
   • c. 1602, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Troylus and Cressida”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene iv], line 42:

     Injurious Time now, with a robber's haste, / Crams his rich thievery up, he knows not how;