Also means
to conceal, to hide
Usage Note
Dérober is a formal or literary synonym of voler ('to steal'). The reflexive se dérober means 'to slip away' or 'to dodge a question' (se dérober à ses responsabilités — 'to shirk one's responsibilities'). The past participle dérobé appears in the fixed phrase escalier dérobé ('hidden staircase'), a term still used in architecture.
Examples
"Il a dérobé les bijoux de la victime."
Natural Translation
He stole the victim's jewellery.
Related Words
Explore French by topic
FrenchNow
6 min read
FrenchNow
5 min read