burgle
Americanverb (used with or without object)
verb
Etymology
Origin of burgle
First recorded in 1870–75; back formation from burglar
Explanation
When you burgle, you steal something from inside a house or a building. A computer thief might burgle several laptops after sneaking into a school at night. It's common to use to verb burgle in Britain, while in the United States people are more likely to say burglarize. Both words basically means "to steal from inside a building." If you burgle and are caught, the crime you'll be charged with is called "burglary." Burgle has been in use since the 1860s, when it was a jokey, colloquial word based on burglar, with its Latin root of burgare, "to break open."
Vocabulary lists containing burgle
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Grant had accused The Sun of using private investigators to tap his phone and burgle his house, and said he settled because he could not face the possible costs of proceeding to trial.
From BBC • Jan. 24, 2025
Alexandru Stan was acquitted of conspiring to burgle the homes following a high-profile trial.
From BBC • Feb. 10, 2021
“You make it as hard as possible for burglars in hopes that they look for some other house to burgle, but it’s impossible to ever completely secure your house.”
From Washington Post • Apr. 9, 2019
Ford’s conversion took England to within five points and they had two minutes to burgle a victory.
From The Guardian • Aug. 22, 2015
"Has it ever struck you that the hostel would be a very easy place to burgle?" asked Fil.
From A Popular Schoolgirl by Salmon, Balliol
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
