privateer
UK /ˌpɹaɪ.vəˈtɪə/ · US /ˌpɹaɪ.vəˈtɪɚ/ noun, verb
Forms privateers privateering privateered
- noun (historical) A privately owned warship that acted under a letter of marque to attack enemy merchant ships and take possession of their cargo.
- noun (historical) An officer or any other member of the crew of such a ship; a government-sanctioned pirate.
- noun An advocate or beneficiary of privatization of a government service or activity.
- noun (motor racing, chiefly Canada, US, Australia) A private individual entrant into a race or competition who does not have the backing of a large, professional team.
- noun (motor racing, elite championships) A racing team that is not a subsidiary of a large conglomerate, or automotive or vehicle manufacturer.
- verb To function under official sanction permitting attacks on enemy shipping and seizing ship and cargo; to engage in government-sponsored piracy.
- verb To advocate or benefit from privatization of government services.
Synonyms
Etymology
From private + -eer probably after volunteer, shortened from the original term "private man-of-war".
Webster’s 1913
- An armed private vessel which bears the commission of the sovereign power to cruise against the enemy. See Letters of marque, under Marque.
- The commander of a privateer.
- verb To cruise in a privateer.
Etymology [From Private.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “privateer”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details