See also crime.
abaction
the stealing of whole herds of cattle, as contrasted with a few head. —abactor, n.
asportation
unlawful removal of goods from where they are deposited or stored.
banditry
the practice of being a bandit.
bibliokleptomania
1. a kleptomania specializing in books.
2. the motivations of a biblioklept. —bibliokleptomaniac, n.
brigandism
the practice of pillage, often destructive, usually practiced by a band of robbers. Also brigandage. —brigand, n. —brigandish, adj.
dacoity
murder and robbery committed by dacoits, a class of criminals in India and Burma.
despoliation
a despoiling; an act of robbery on a large scale; pillage.
direption
Obsolete, pillage; the act of plundering.
embezzlement
the misappropriation of funds that have been entrusted to one for care or management. Also called peculation. —embezzler, n.
excoriation
Obsolete, the act of stripping of possessions wrongfully and by force; spoliation or robbery.
harpaxophobia
an abnormal fear of robbers.
kleptomania, cleptomania
Psychology. an irresistible impulse to steal, especially when the thief can afford to pay. —kleptomaniac, n.
kleptophobia, cleptophobia
an abnormal fear of thieves or of loss through thievery.
ladronism
1. SW. U.S. an act of thievery.
2. Scots Dialect, blackguardism and roguery. —ladrone, ladron, n.
peculation
embezzlement. —peculator, n.
pilferage
1. petty stealing or pilfering.
2. the articles stolen in pilfering.
pillage
1. the act of plundering or large scale robbery, usually accompanied by violence as in wartime.
2. plundered property; booty.
piracy
the act of robbery on the high seas. See also ships. —pirate, n. —piratic, piratical, adj.
plagiarism
1. the verbatim copying or imitation of the language, ideas, or thoughts of another author and representing them as one’s own original work.
2. the material so appropriated. Also plagiary. —plagiarist, n. —plagiaristic, adj.
predation
the act or process of pillaging or plundering.
rapacity
the state or quality of being excessively greedy or given to theft. —rapacious, adj.
rapine
the act of pillage or plundering.
spoliation
the process of robbing or plundering, especially in time of war and on a large scale. See also church; ships.
thievery
1. the act or practice of stealing or thieving.
2. Rare. the property stolen.
