A daring robbery or theft, especially of a large amount of money or valuable items from a place like a bank.
Originally American slang from the 1920s-1930s, possibly from 'hoist' (to lift or steal), with the meaning influenced by Yiddish 'heysn.' The exact origin is debated by linguists.
The word 'heist' became popular in American crime fiction and movies, but it only entered mainstream English in the 20th century—much later than words for theft like 'rob' or 'steal,' showing how new slang words pop up as new crimes become headline news.
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