Privateered: meaning, definitions and examples
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privateered
[ ˈpraɪvɪtɪrd ]
maritime piracy
To privateer means to engage in acts of piracy under a commission from a government. This license allows private individuals to conduct attacks against enemy ships, often during wartime, providing them with legal protection for their actions.
Synonyms
Examples of usage
- The captain decided to privateer against enemy merchant vessels.
- Historically, many sailors chose to privateer as a way to gain wealth.
- Privateering was a common practice during the colonial era.
- He became notorious for privateering in the Caribbean.
Translations
Translations of the word "privateered" in other languages:
🇵🇹 privatizado
🇮🇳 निजीकृत
🇩🇪 privatisiert
🇮🇩 dihakimi
🇺🇦 приватизований
🇵🇱 prywatyzowany
🇯🇵 私有化された
🇫🇷 privatisé
🇪🇸 privatizado
🇹🇷 özelleştirilmiş
🇰🇷 민영화된
🇸🇦 خاص
🇨🇿 privatizovaný
🇸🇰 privatizovaný
🇨🇳 私有化的
🇸🇮 privatiziran
🇮🇸 einkavt
🇰🇿 жекешелендірілген
🇬🇪 პრივატიზებული
🇦🇿 özəlləşdirilmiş
🇲🇽 privatizado
Etymology
The term 'privateer' comes from the early 17th-century practice of issuing letters of marque by a government to privately owned ships. These letters allowed the ships to attack and capture enemy vessels, making privateering a form of state-sanctioned piracy. The word is derived from the French 'privateer', meaning a private ship authorized for such activities. The use of privateers was particularly prominent during the Age of Sail and was often seen as a way for nations, particularly England and Spain, to enhance their naval power without the expense of maintaining large fleets. The practice began to decline in the 19th century with the rise of national navies and the establishment of international laws against piracy.