Dictionary

thievish en · ADJ

Etymology

From Middle English thevysch, equivalent to thief + -ish. Cognate with Saterland Frisian däifsk (“thievish”), Dutch diefs (“thievish”), German Low German deevsk (“thievish”), German diebisch (“thievish”).

Meanings

1. Having a tendency to steal.
   • I tel you true my hart is ſwolne with wrath, On this ſame theeuish villain Tamburlain. And of that false Coſroe, my traiterous brother, Would it not grieue a King to be so abuſ’d? And haue a thouſand horſmen tane away? c. 1587–1588 (date written), [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire; London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act II, scene ii:
2. Having the manner of a thief; furtive; stealthy.
   • What, wouldst thou have me go and beg my food, Or with a base and boist'rous sword enforce A thievish living on the common road? c. 1598–1600 (date written), William Shakespeare, “As You Like It”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene iii], lines 675-77:

Forms

Deriveds

thievishness · thievishly

Translations (13)

it furtivo (Having a tendency to steal.) · bg крадлив (Having a tendency to steal.) · de diebisch (Having a tendency to steal.) · sv tjuvaktig (Having a tendency to steal.) · sh лоповски (Having a tendency to steal.) · eo ŝtelema (Having a tendency to steal.) · pl złodziejski (Having a tendency to steal.) · tr eli uzun (Having a tendency to steal.) · la fūrax (Having a tendency to steal.) · nb tyvaktig (Having a tendency to steal.) · la tagax (Having a tendency to steal.) · ru ворова́тый (Having a tendency to steal.) · uk злодійкува́тий (Having a tendency to steal.)