different between thief vs outfangthief

English

Alternative forms

• theef

Etymology

From Middle English thef, theef, þef, from Old English þ?of, from Proto-Germanic *þeubaz. Spelling from Northern England, where /e?o/ became [i?] rather than [e?]. (Compare the spelling of deep from Old English deop.)

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) enPR: th?f, IPA^(key): /?i?f/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?if/
• Rhymes: -i?f

Noun

thief (plural thieves)

1. One who carries out a theft.

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:thief
2. One who steals another person's property, especially by stealth and without using force or violence.
3. (obsolete) A waster in the snuff of a candle.
   • 1640, Joseph Hall, Divine Light

     But hear you , my Worthy Brethren : do not you , where you see a thief in the candle , call presently for an extinguisher

Hypernyms

• (one who carries out a theft): See Thesaurus:criminal

Hyponyms

Derived terms

Related terms

• thieve

Translations

Anagrams

• feith, theif

English

Alternative forms

• outfangthef
• outfangenthef, utfangenthef, utfangenethef
• utfangthief
• utfangethef
• utfangthef

Etymology

From out- +? fang +? thief, formed—probably in Middle English [Term?]—after the model of infangthief, with the only Old English [Term?] attestation a spurious charter forged in the 1st half of the 12th century.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?a?tfa??i?f/

Noun

outfangthief

1. (historical, law, properly, rare) A privilege of some feudal lords permitting them to execute summary judgment upon thieves (particularly their own tenants) captured outside their estates and to keep any chattels forfeited upon conviction.
   • 1822, John Comyns & Anthony Hammond, A Digest of the Laws of England, Butterworth & Son, p. 328:

     A grant of outfangthief imports the trial of those of his fee taken for felony in another precinct.

   • 1990, David Maxwell Walker, A Legal History of Scotland, Vol. II, p. 640:

     The addition of outfangandthef is much less usual [than infangthief]; it seems to have meant the right to try a man of the barony taken stealing outside the barony, if necessary repledging him to the barony court.

2. (historical, law, generally, rare) A privilege of some feudal lords permitting them to execute summary judgment upon all thieves captured within their estates, regardless of their origin.
   • 1845, John Henry Newman, Lives of the English Saints, ST Freemantle, p. 19:

     But feudalism also contained another principle, and that was, that within his own territory each lord was absolute; his suzerain could not interfere with his jurisdiction; infangthief and outfangthief implied a very perfect and intelligible power of hanging and imprisoning as he pleased.

3. (historical, law, rare, countable) A thief so captured and tried.

See also

• infangthief

References