Thievishly: meaning, definitions and examples
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thievishly
[ ˈθiːvɪʃli ]
descriptive behavior
Thievishly describes an action or behavior that is characteristic of a thief; it suggests sneaky, stealthy, or dishonest behavior typical of someone who engages in theft. It conveys a sense of trickery or deceit that involves taking something that does not belong to one.
Synonyms
deceptively, furtively, sneakily
Examples of usage
- He moved thievishly through the shadows.
- She thievishly pocketed the candy without anyone noticing.
- The cat thievishly snatched the fish from the counter.
Etymology
The word 'thievishly' is derived from the root 'thief,' which comes from the Old English word 'þēof,' meaning 'thief or robber.' This word has Proto-Germanic roots, with the word 'þiuba' in Proto-Germanic meaning 'to steal.' The suffix '-ishly' turns the noun 'thief' into an adverb, implying a manner of doing something—specifically, doing something in a manner characteristic of a thief. The transformation from a noun that signifies a person engaging in theft, to an adverb form that describes an action indicates a linguistic evolution from identifying a character type to describing behaviors commonly associated with that character. This could relate to the actions of someone secretly or stealthily engaging in dishonest behavior, which aligns well with the negative connotations of thievery throughout history. The use of 'thievishly' is relatively uncommon but has appeared in literature to convey suspicion or stealth in character actions.