Difference between revisions of "Language/English/Vocabulary/Difference-between-ROBBER,-BURGLAR,-MUGGER-and-THIEF"
m (I updated the shorthand someone put in here to help people understand what is actually being said.) |
|||
| Line 9: | Line 9: | ||
==Burglar== | ==Burglar== | ||
Someone who breaks in / forces his/her way into a building so as to steal something. It could be for example a home, office or factory. Usually, there is no intended violence directly towards people. The verb used to describe a burglar in the process of stealing something is "to burgle | Someone who breaks in / forces his/her way into a building so as to steal something. It could be for example a home, office or factory. Usually, there is no intended violence directly towards people. The verb used to describe a burglar in the process of stealing something is "to burgle something", which is more common in British English and "to burglarize something", more seen in American English. | ||
==Robber== | ==Robber== | ||
Someone who threatens violence so that he/she can steal something from someone. If the threatened person does not permit the robber to take what the robber wants, then the robber will be violent so that he/she can take what he/she wants from the victim. "to rob | Someone who threatens violence so that he/she can steal something from someone. If the threatened person does not permit the robber to take what the robber wants, then the robber will be violent so that he/she can take what he/she wants from the victim. "to rob someone" is the verb describing a robber "at work". | ||
==Mugger== | ==Mugger== | ||
Someone who uses violence without any warning to make it possible / easier to steal something from someone. It could be a criminal hitting someone on the head then stealing something from that person. "to mug | Someone who uses violence without any warning to make it possible / easier to steal something from someone. It could be a criminal hitting someone on the head then stealing something from that person. "to mug somebody" is the verb describing the violence and stealing done by a mugger. | ||
==Pickpocket== | ==Pickpocket== | ||
Someone who steals from someone’s pocket, coat or bag without that person realising that he/she is having something stolen. The thing stolen is directly | Someone who steals from someone’s pocket, coat or bag without that person realising that he/she is having something stolen. The thing stolen is directly from/on the victim, not somewhere else such as on a table. The term "pickpocket" originally comes from describing someone who very quickly and with almost no force pulling something - i.e. "picking" - something from someone's pocket. "to pickpocket somebody" describes stealing by pickpockets. | ||
==Thief== | ==Thief== | ||
This is a general term for someone who steals something without threatening violence. Burglars (usually) and pickpockets can also be classified as thieves (the plural of ”thief”). Someone who takes someone’s wallet from a desk by just walking through a door is a thief, but not a pickpocket or a burglar. The verb for this action is "to thieve | This is a general term for someone who steals something without threatening violence. Burglars (usually) and pickpockets can also be classified as thieves (the plural of ”thief”). Someone who takes someone’s wallet from a desk by just walking through a door is a thief, but not a pickpocket or a burglar. The verb for this action is "to thieve something from somebody". | ||
==Sources== | ==Sources== | ||
Revision as of 20:02, 11 May 2023
ROBBER, BURGLAR, MUGGER, PICKPOCKET & THIEF?
Introduction
In English, there are a large number of words to describe someone who steals things from people - particularly relating to the method which these criminals use to take the items. There are five very common words to describe such people: "burglar", "robber", "mugger", "pickpocket" and "thief".
Take some time to dive into these other pages after completing this lesson: Words ending with the suffix less, Common Acronyms Social Media SMS & “In the office” or “at the office”.
Burglar
Someone who breaks in / forces his/her way into a building so as to steal something. It could be for example a home, office or factory. Usually, there is no intended violence directly towards people. The verb used to describe a burglar in the process of stealing something is "to burgle something", which is more common in British English and "to burglarize something", more seen in American English.
Robber
Someone who threatens violence so that he/she can steal something from someone. If the threatened person does not permit the robber to take what the robber wants, then the robber will be violent so that he/she can take what he/she wants from the victim. "to rob someone" is the verb describing a robber "at work".
Mugger
Someone who uses violence without any warning to make it possible / easier to steal something from someone. It could be a criminal hitting someone on the head then stealing something from that person. "to mug somebody" is the verb describing the violence and stealing done by a mugger.
Pickpocket
Someone who steals from someone’s pocket, coat or bag without that person realising that he/she is having something stolen. The thing stolen is directly from/on the victim, not somewhere else such as on a table. The term "pickpocket" originally comes from describing someone who very quickly and with almost no force pulling something - i.e. "picking" - something from someone's pocket. "to pickpocket somebody" describes stealing by pickpockets.
Thief
This is a general term for someone who steals something without threatening violence. Burglars (usually) and pickpockets can also be classified as thieves (the plural of ”thief”). Someone who takes someone’s wallet from a desk by just walking through a door is a thief, but not a pickpocket or a burglar. The verb for this action is "to thieve something from somebody".
Sources
Other Lessons
- Top Job Interview Questions
- Números cardinales en inglés
- Common Mistakes
- Give up VS Abandon
- French words used in English
- Art
- Parts of the Body
- Phrasal Verbs UP!
- Almost and nearly; practically
- Common Acronyms Social Media SMS