privateer

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable

   A privately owned ship that a government allowed to attack and capture enemy ships.

   Grammar: Countable; use a/an or the, and plural -s: a privateer, two privateers.

   Patterns

   • a privateer captured something
   • sail as a privateer
   • fit out a privateer

   The privateer captured a Spanish merchant ship near the coast.

   In the 1700s, many sailors joined a privateer hoping for a share of the prizes.

   The museum has a model of a famous privateer from the American Revolution.

2. 2nouncountable

   The captain or a crew member of such a ship.

   Grammar: Countable; use a/an or the, and plural -s: He was a privateer, not a pirate.

   Patterns

   • serve as a privateer
   • a famous privateer

   He served as a privateer for the French king during the war.

   The privateer was given a letter of marque, so his attacks were legal.

Word forms

Common combinations

a letter of marque

The captain carried a letter of marque that made him a privateer, not a pirate.

privateer captain

The privateer captain divided the captured goods among his crew.

sail as a privateer

He sailed as a privateer during the war of 1812.

capture a prize

Privateers could capture a prize and sell it in port.

Synonyms and how they differ

corsair

A literary or historical word for a pirate or privateer, especially in the Mediterranean.

buccaneer

A pirate, especially in the Caribbean; unlike a privateer, a buccaneer did not have government permission.

Word family

privateering noun

The activity of attacking enemy ships with a privateer.

Commonly confused: privateer or pirate? privateer or private?

Practice

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