The set of sixteen terms below can be partitioned. Each partition is of four terms that have something in common. I invite you to figure out the partitions and commonalities. (The four commonalities do not, themselves, have something in common.)
ABSCOND, CHEEK, DISCERN, FULL TIME, GROUCH, GUM, HARP, INVENT, PROBOSCIS, RECESS, RENOVATE, SILVER, SLAP, SPIDER, SQUIRREL, THEFT
Hint, added later:
Two partitions' criteria are directly related to the meanings of the words in the partitions. The other two's are not.
Another two hints, added even later:
Instead of DISCERN, I could have included CANOODLE;
and
instead of THEFT, I should probably have included SHOPLIFTING.