thievish

From Middle English thevysch, equivalent to thief +‎ -ish. Cognate with Saterland Frisian däifsk (“thievish”), Dutch diefs (“thievish”), German Low German deevsk (“thievish”), German diebisch (“thievish”).

thievish (comparative more thievish, superlative most thievish)

1. Having a tendency to steal.
   • c. 1587–1588, [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire, London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act II, scene ii:

     I tel you true my hart is ſwolne with wrath,
     On this ſame theeuish villain Tamburlain.
     And of that false Coſroe, my traiterous brother,
     Would it not grieue a King to be so abuſ’d?
     And haue a thouſand horſmen tane away?

2. Having the manner of a thief; furtive; stealthy.
   • c. 1598–1600 (date written), William Shakespeare, “As You Like It”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene iii], lines 675-77:

     What, wouldst thou have me go and beg my food,
     Or with a base and boist'rous sword enforce
     A thievish living on the common road?