PRIVATEER Meaning and
Definition
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A privateer is an individual or a privately-owned ship that is granted permission by a government during times of war to carry out acts of piracy against enemy vessels. Privateering was prevalent during the 17th to 19th centuries when European powers were engaged in warfare, particularly naval conflicts. These privateers, acting under "letters of marque" issued by their respective governments, were authorized to capture or plunder enemy ships, goods, or property.
Unlike traditional pirates, privateers were considered legal and were often seen as an extension of a nation's naval forces. They operated under specific rules of engagement and were entitled to a portion of the spoils they seized. The primary goal of privateering was to disrupt enemy trade routes, weaken the opposing navy, and provide additional firepower to the host nation in exchange for financial gain.
Privateering was a key strategy employed by nations to compensate for their limited naval resources, as privateers could multiply their naval strength significantly. However, this practice often blurred the lines between legality and piracy, as some privateers would commit acts of excessive violence or target neutral vessels, causing international disputes and debates around maritime law.
Over time, the rise of international conventions such as the Declaration of Paris in 1856, which outlawed privateering, and the development of stronger naval forces rendered privateering obsolete and illegal. Nevertheless, privateering has left a lasting imprint on the history of naval warfare and piracy, demonstrating how nations sought creative means to gain an advantage in times of conflict.
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• In time of war, an armed ship belonging to a private person or persons, sailing with a licence from government to attack and plunder the ships of the enemy.
• To cruise or sail in a privateer.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
Common Misspellings for PRIVATEER
Etymology of PRIVATEER
The word "privateer" comes from the combination of the words "private" and "-eer". "Private" is derived from the Latin word "privatus", which means "belonging to oneself, not for public use or possession". In the context of privateering, it refers to individuals or ships that were privately owned and operated rather than being part of a nation's official naval forces.
The suffix "-eer" has a French origin and is used to denote a person involved in a particular activity or profession. This suffix was commonly used in English to create nouns for individuals who are engaged in certain roles or occupations. Thus, by combining "private" with "-eer", the word "privateer" was formed to describe someone who privately financed and operated a vessel for engaging in authorized acts of piracy during wartime, usually with the permission of a government.
Similar spelling words for PRIVATEER
- privateness,
- privation,
- profiteer,
- probationer,
- privately,
- private road,
- privett,
- privet,
- previte,
- privatise,
- pervader,
- Providore,
- provider-specific,
- prevatt,
- privitera,
- privatize,
- patient-provider,
- profiter,
- provedor,
- private,
- provide,
- PRVtr,
- access-provider,
- private line,
- privates,
- prefatorial,
- probate,
- provature,
- privater,
- privette,
- provider,
- Prevatte,
- providor,
- PRIVATAIR,
- provideair,
- service-provider,
- preferred-provider,
- prefatory,
- Provedore,
- probative,
- private eye,
- Breviature.
Conjugate verb Privateer
CONDITIONAL
I
would privateer
you
would privateer
he/she/it
would privateer
we
would privateer
they
would privateer
CONDITIONAL CONTINUOUS
I
would be privateering
you
would be privateering
he/she/it
would be privateering
we
would be privateering
they
would be privateering
CONDITIONAL PERFECT
I
would have privateer
you
would have privateer
he/she/it
would have privateer
we
would have privateer
they
would have privateer
CONDITIONAL PERFECT CONTINUOUS
I
would have been privateering
you
would have been privateering
he/she/it
would have been privateering
we
would have been privateering
they
would have been privateering
FUTURE
I
will privateer
you
will privateer
he/she/it
will privateer
we
will privateer
they
will privateer
FUTURE CONTINUOUS
I
will be privateering
you
will be privateering
he/she/it
will be privateering
we
will be privateering
they
will be privateering
FUTURE PERFECT
I
will have privateered
you
will have privateered
he/she/it
will have privateered
we
will have privateered
they
will have privateered
FUTURE PERFECT CONTINUOUS
I
will have been privateering
you
will have been privateering
he/she/it
will have been privateering
we
will have been privateering
they
will have been privateering
IMPERATIVE
you
privateer
we
let´s privateer
to privateer
PAST
I
privateered
you
privateered
he/she/it
privateered
we
privateered
they
privateered
PAST CONTINUOUS
I
was privateering
you
were privateering
he/she/it
was privateering
we
were privateering
they
were privateering
PAST PARTICIPLE
privateered
PAST PERFECT
I
had privateered
you
had privateered
he/she/it
had privateered
we
had privateered
they
had privateered
PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS
I
had been privateering
you
had been privateering
he/she/it
had been privateering
we
had been privateering
they
had been privateering
PRESENT
I
privateer
you
privateer
he/she/it
privateers
we
privateer
they
privateer
PRESENT CONTINUOUS
I
am privateering
you
are privateering
he/she/it
is privateering
we
are privateering
they
are privateering
PRESENT PARTICIPLE
privateering
PRESENT PERFECT
I
have privateered
you
have privateered
he/she/it
has privateered
we
have privateered
they
have privateered
PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS
I
have been privateering
you
have been privateering
he/she/it
has been privateering
we
have been privateering
they
have been privateering
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