larceny

/ˈlɑːsəni/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈlɑːrsəni/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈlär-sə-nē ˈlär-snē/ (ame, mw)

larceny — noun

  • larcenysingular
  • larceniesplural

1. stealing someone else's belongings without their permission, treated as a crimin

1.名詞C1
釋義

stealing someone else's belongings without their permission, treated as a criminal offence — most often used in American legal contexts and usually meaning a theft that does not involve breaking into a building.

例句

Jisoo was charged with larceny after she walked out of the shop carrying an unpaid handbag.

passive: be charged with larceny

The court in Chicago found Christopher guilty of larceny for taking a laptop from his neighbour's porch.

guilty of larceny

同義詞
  • theft

    the most common everyday word; works in both British and American English

  • stealing

    informal; describes the act rather than the legal charge

  • robbery

    involves force or threat against a person — larceny does not

文法句型

commit larceny

charged with larceny

用法筆記

Mainly used in American legal English; British English usually prefers 'theft'. Often appears in fixed phrases like 'grand larceny' (high-value) and 'petty/petit larceny' (low-value).

常見錯誤

❌A burglar broke in and committed larceny.
✅A burglar broke in and committed burglary.
💡larceny does not involve illegally entering a building; that crime is burglary.