rob
- steal
‘rob’
The verb rob is often used in stories and newspaper reports.
If someone takes something that belongs to you without intending to return it, you can say that they rob you of it.
Pirates boarded the ships and robbed the crew of money and valuables.
The two men were robbed of more than £700.
If something that belongs to you has been stolen, you can say that you have been robbed.
He was robbed on his way home.
If someone takes several things from a building without intending to return them, you say that they rob the building.
He told the police he robbed the bank to buy a car.
‘steal’
When someone takes something without intending to return it, you do not say that they ‘rob’ it. You say that they steal it.
His first offence was stealing a car.
➜ See steal