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Glite Dictionary
sticky-finger

sticky-finger

2 9.9
A person who often steals small things
  • noun
  • /ˈstɪki ˈfɪŋɡər/
  • Offensive
translation icon : chorizo (coloquial, ofensivo)
  • He was known as a sticky-finger for always stealing small items from his friends.

Examples

  • The detective warned the store owner to watch out for customers with sticky fingers.

  • It's kind of like you got sticky fingers, but a light, a light.

  • I do believe that Ace and Bruce will have good games as well, but Cunningham is an NFL-ready player with some sticky fingers.

    Blog text (9)

  • When she realized her purse was missing, she suspected it was taken by a sticky-finger in the crowded market.

Synonyms

thief
vssticky-finger
754 1.0

A person who takes someone else's things without permission

is more general, covering any habitual tendency to steal
klepto
vssticky-finger
  • Offensive
5 9.9

A person who often steals small things

is the neutral term for a person with a habitual stealing tendency
kleptomaniac
vssticky-finger
  • Specialized
5 8.9

A person who often feels a strong urge to steal things they do not need

is about habitual stealing rather than a clinical impulse
stealer
vssticky-finger
4 4.6

A person who takes things that belong to others without permission

stresses ongoing tendency to steal rather than intent to sell
sneak thief
vssticky-finger
2 7.6

A person who secretly steals things without using force

implies a recurring tendency rather than a single furtive act
pilferer
vssticky-finger
1 7.3

A person who steals small things without using force

is broader, covering any habitual tendency to steal rather than size
swiper
vssticky-finger
  • Slang
1 8.1

A person who quickly steals things by grabbing them and running away

is about a habitual tendency rather than a single quick theft
purloiner
vssticky-finger
9.6

A person who steals things secretly

focuses on ongoing tendency rather than just secret act
pickpurse
vssticky-finger
  • Archaic
9.9

A person who steals money and small things from other people's pockets or bags

refers to a general stealing tendency not limited to pocket theft

How Thievish

kleptomaniac
  • Specialized
5 8.9
sticky-finger
  • Offensive
2 9.9
thief
754 1.0

Surface Forms

sticky-finger singular
sticky-fingers plural

Morphology

sticky-finger = sticky + finger (semi-transparent) = sticky + finger

Formed from 'sticky' + 'finger' where the metaphorical extension 'sticky fingers' = tendency to steal is not fully literal but is a fairly learnable idiom.

Etymology

Sticky-finger comes from the image of someone whose sticky ('tending to stick') finger keeps holding on to things they touch. So a sticky-finger is a person who often steals.