pickpocket

[ pik-pok-it ]

/ ˈpɪkˌpɒk ɪt /

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See synonyms for: pickpocket / pickpocketed / pickpocketing on Thesaurus.com

Definition of pickpocket

noun

a person who steals money, wallets, etc., from the pockets of people, as in crowded public places.

verb (used with object)

to steal (a wallet, money, etc.) in the manner of a pickpocket.

to steal from (a person) in the manner of a pickpocket.

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QUIZ YOURSELF ON "WAS" VS. "WERE"!

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Question 1 of 7

“Was” is used for the indicative past tense of “to be,” and “were” is only used for the subjunctive past tense.

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Origin of pickpocket

First recorded in 1585–95; pick¹ + pocket

Words nearby pickpocket

pick of the litter, pick on, pick one's way, pick out, pick over, pickpocket, pickproof, Pick's atrophy, Pick's disease 1, pick someone's brain, pickthank

How to use pickpocket in a sentence

This strap makes it harder for pickpockets to slash the strap in their attempt to steal it.
Best RFID wallets to help you guard your digital identity|Ashley Hubbard|December 16, 2021|Popular-Science
The menacing thugs, petty criminals, and pickpockets sized up the intruder in their midst.
New York’s First Crime Boss: Captain Isaiah Rynders|Mark Lawrence Schrad|September 10, 2021|The Daily Beast
Be mindful when you’re gawking at your surroundings — pickpockets abound!
Five sensational vacation destinations from the virtual worlds of video games|Shelly Tan, Elise Favis, Gene Park, Armand Emamdjomeh|February 25, 2021|Washington Post
Stolen features a pickpocket with a cleavage to kill for who gets caught and has to return a wallet.
Sexier Than ‘50 Shades of Grey’: Naughtiest Bits From 12 Other Erotica Bestsellers||July 12, 2012|DAILY BEAST

The Thief tells the story of an anonymous pickpocket who steals as much for the thrill of the hunt as he does for the money.
3 Secret Novels: Coral Glynn, The Thief, and Bloodland|Claiborne Smith, Hugh Ryan, Jane Ciabattari|March 16, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Why not have kept him here among the rest, and made a sneaking, snivelling pickpocket of him at once?
Oliver Twist, Vol. II (of 3)|Charles Dickens
The pickpocket finds it easy to unsnap a handbag and remove some of the contents, especially in crowded places.
The Boy Mechanic, Book 2|Various
He was out of it in an instant with the agility of a pickpocket, was across the room and at Hade's throat like a dog.
Gallegher and Other Stories|Richard Harding Davis
"Crowd chasing a pickpocket, I imagine," said Trencher indifferently.
From Place to Place|Irvin S. Cobb
"Say, boss, they've caught the pickpocket—if that's what he was," he cried out excitedly.
From Place to Place|Irvin S. Cobb

British Dictionary definitions for pickpocket

pickpocket

/ (ˈpɪkˌpɒkɪt) /

noun

a person who steals from the pockets or handbags of others in public places

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

pickpocket

Definition of pickpocket

Origin of pickpocket

Words nearby pickpocket

Words related to pickpocket

How to use pickpocket in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for pickpocket