kleptomania

• n. 盗窃癖

来自希腊语kleptein,偷盗，来自PIE*klep,偷盗，来自*kel的扩大形式，隐藏，覆盖，词源同cell,hole.-mania,发狂。

kleptomania (n.)

1830, formed from mania + Greek kleptes "thief," from kleptein "to steal, act secretly," from PIE *klep- "to steal," an extention of root *kel- (2) "to cover, conceal" (see cell; cognate with Latin clepere "to steal, listen secretly to," Old Prussian au-klipts "hidden," Old Church Slavonic poklopu "cover, wrapping," Gothic hlifan "to steal," hliftus "thief"). Much-derided 19c. as a fancy term for old-fashioned thievery and an opportunity for the privileged to claim a psychological motive for criminal misbehavior.

There is a popular belief that some of the criminal laws under which the poor are rigorously punished are susceptible of remarkable elasticity when the peccadilloes of the rich are brought under judgment, and that there is some truth in the old adage which declares that "one man may steal a horse where another dare not look over the hedge." This unwholesome distrust is not likely to diminish if, in cases of criminal prosecutions where so-called respectable persons commit theft without sufficiently obvious motive for the act, they have their crime extenuated on the plea of kleptomania, as has recently occurred in several notable instances. ["Kleptomania," "The Lancet," Nov. 16, 1861]

1. Kleptomania is a mania for stealing things.

盗窃癖是一种爱偷东西的躁狂症.

来自《简明英汉词典》

2. The millionaire who was caught shoplifting was found to be suffering from kleptomania.

那个因逛街时顺手牵羊而被捉到的百万富翁,被发现有盗窃癖.

来自互联网