[ARCH- 2, 3.] A first or chief thief; a chief of thieves or (formerly) robbers; spec. Prometheus.
1652. News, Lowe-Countr., 1. That the Arch-Theef’s stolen Fire Did, first, the Thing, call’d Man, inspire.
1693. W. Robertson, Phraseol. Gen., 1082. An Arch-thief or robber.
a. 1805. in Nicolas, Disp. Nelson, III. 417. That horde of thieves who went to Egypt with that arch-thief, Buonaparte.
