robbery

robbery in law, felonious taking of property from a person against his will by threatening or committing force or violence. The injury or threat may be directed against the person robbed, his property, or the person or property of his relative or of anyone in his presence at the time of the robbery. There is no robbery unless force or fear is used to overcome resistance. Thus, surreptitiously picking a man's pocket or snatching something from him without resistance on his part is larceny , but not robbery. Robbery differs from extortion , where force or fear are used to obtain the consent of the victim. The distinction, however, is tenuous. In some states there are several degrees of robbery with graduated penalties; aggravating circumstances—e.g., the use of firearms—result in a greater penalty.

exchange is no robbery, a fair sometimes used of an action regarded as cancelling out an obligation which has been incurred; saying recorded from the mid 16th century.

rob·ber·y / ˈräb(ə)rē/ • n. (pl. -ber·ies) the action of robbing a person or place: he was involved in drugs, violence, extortion, and robbery | an armed robbery. ∎  Law the felonious taking of personal property from someone using force or the threat of force. ∎ inf. unashamed swindling or overcharging.