heist
/haɪst/ (bre, ipa) · /haɪst/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈhīst/ (ame, mw)
heist — noun
- heistsingular
- heistsplural
1. a carefully planned robbery in which thieves steal money or other valuable thing
a carefully planned robbery in which thieves steal money or other valuable things, often from a bank, museum, or armoured vehicle
Mayumi and her crew planned a bank heist for the holiday weekend.
collocation: plan a bank heist
Security cameras recorded the museum heist from the moment the glass case opened.
collocation: museum heist
After the diamond heist, investigators checked every truck leaving the port.
Gabriel bragged about the cash heist until his sister told him to be quiet.
The failed heist left broken alarms and scattered bills across the lobby.
- robbery
the broad neutral term; does not by itself suggest careful planning or a glamorous target
- burglary
focuses on entering a building illegally to steal, especially a home or business
- raid
can suggest a fast strike on a target, but is not always about stealing money
- caper
very informal; often playful or humorous compared with the darker tone of heist
文法句型
a/the + heist
plan / pull off + a heist
[type] + heist
用法筆記
Heist is more informal and more cinematic than robbery. It often suggests careful planning and a large target such as a bank, museum, or armoured truck.
常見錯誤
heist — verb
- heistpresent simple I / you / we / they
- heists3rd person singular
- heisting-ing form
- heistedpast simple
1. to rob a bank, shop, or other target by force, often with weapons or threats
to rob a bank, shop, or other target by force, often with weapons or threats
Elise said the gang meant to heist the casino before the poker final ended.
pattern: heist + [place]
Police believe two men heisted an armored truck outside the stadium.
collocation: heist an armored truck
Luca bragged that his crew could heist any jewellery store in town.
The brothers tried to heist a pawn shop but set off the alarm.
- rob
the neutral everyday verb; broader and much more common than heist
- raid
often highlights a sudden attack on a place, not always a theft
- stick up
informal; stresses threatening people with a weapon
- knock over
slang; often used for robbing a bank or shop
文法句型
heist + [bank/shop/truck]
try / plan + to + heist + [place]
用法筆記
Used informally, especially in crime stories. This sense usually takes a place or vehicle full of valuables as its object and suggests open robbery rather than a secret break-in.
常見錯誤
2. to break into a house or other building and steal things from inside it
to break into a house or other building and steal things from inside it
Rodrigo admitted that he once heisted a hillside villa during the owners' holiday.
object: house used as target
The gang planned to heist lake houses after the summer tourists left.
Security lights scared the thieves off before they could heist the duplex.
Neighbours called the police when two strangers tried to heist the empty cottage.
- burgle
British English; specifically means to break into a building and steal
- burglarize
American English; the standard legal-style verb for this meaning
- break into
neutral phrase that focuses on the illegal entry
- loot
suggests carrying many things away, often after disorder or chaos
文法句型
heist + [house/apartment/cottage]
用法筆記
Less common than the previous sense and usually used for homes or other buildings. Unlike sense 1, it points to getting inside the building to steal, not holding people up by force.