PRIVATEER

privateer

(noun) a privately owned warship commissioned to prey on the commercial shipping or warships of an enemy nation

privateer, privateersman

(noun) an officer or crew member of a privateer

Source: WordNet® 3.1

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Etymology

Noun

privateer (plural privateers)

(historical) A privately owned warship that had official sanction to attack enemy ships and take possession of their cargo. [from 17th c.]

(historical) An officer or any other member of the crew of such a ship. [from 17th c.]

• [from 17th c.]

An advocate or beneficiary of privatization of a government service or activity.

(motor racing, chiefly North America) A private individual entrant into a race or competition who does not have the backing of a large, professional team. [from 20th c.]

Verb

privateer (third-person singular simple present privateers, present participle privateering, simple past and past participle privateered)

To function under official sanction permitting attacks on enemy shipping and seizing ship and cargo; to engage in government-sponsored piracy. [from 17th c.]

To advocate or benefit from privatization of government services.

Source: Wiktionary

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Pri`va*teer" n. Etym: [From Private.]

1. An armed private vessel which bears the commission of the sovereign power to cruise against the enemy. See Letters of marque, under Marque.

2. The commander of a privateer. Kidd soon threw off the character of a privateer and became a pirate. Macaulay.

Pri`va*teer", v. i. [imp. & p. p. Privateered; p. pr. & vb. n. Privateering.]

Definition: To cruise in a privateer.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition

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