burglary

[ bur-gluh-ree ]

noun

, Criminal Law.

, plural bur·gla·ries.

1. the felony of breaking into and entering the house of another at night with intent to steal, extended by statute to cover the breaking into and entering of any of various buildings, by night or day.

burglary

/ bɜːˈɡlɛərɪəs; ˈbɜːɡlərɪ /

noun

1. English criminal law the crime of either entering a building as a trespasser with the intention of committing theft, rape, grievous bodily harm, or damage, or, having entered as a trespasser, of committing one or more of these offences

Derived Forms

• burglarious, adjective

Other Words From

• anti·burgla·ry adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of burglary¹

1150–1200; Middle English < Anglo-French burglarie; burglar, -y ³

Example Sentences

The more accomplished students took classes in safe-cracking, burglary, blackmail, and confidence games.

From The Daily Beast

Identified only as Darius, the teen has been arrested for burglary several times in recent weeks.

From The Daily Beast

The trip was bankrolled by low-level Miami gangster Raul Pacheco, himself already on probation for attempted armed burglary.

From The Daily Beast

They were arraigned in Manhattan criminal court on charges of burglary, reckless endangerment and jumping from a structure.

From The Daily Beast

Burglary, something he hated, seemed to be the only way to find evidence.

From The Daily Beast

As he was relating an account of a desperate burglary, I asked him what he would have done if the man of the house had awakened.

From Project Gutenberg

There was a burglary at Countess Saens' house, and the thief took nothing but papers.

From Project Gutenberg

She left here in a violent hurry on her maid coming to say that there had been a burglary at her house.

From Project Gutenberg

He wisely concluded that it is not sufficient to commit a successful burglary, if you are afterwards found out.

From Project Gutenberg

Even burglary becomes a bore when you have to wait too long idle out in the cold.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• break in
• crime
• heist
• larceny
• robbery
• theft