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Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

set a thief to catch a thief en · VERB

Meanings

  1. To employ an unscrupulous person in order to catch another unscrupulous person.
    • The morality of setting a thief to catch a thief passes muster in the English force; but they do these things better in America. Pinkerton's system for the detective police in America is vastly superior to the British system. 1866, Norman Macleod, editor, Good Words, page 415:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
sets a thief to catch a thief Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres lexicographic
setting a thief to catch a thief Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
set a thief to catch a thief Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
set a thief to catch a thief Tense=Past lexicographic

Relateds

poacher turned gamekeeper · fight fire with fire · it takes one to know one · honor among thieves