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privateer Definition

pri·va·teer (prī′və tir′)

noun

  1. a privately owned and manned armed ship commissioned by a government in a war to attack and capture enemy ships, esp. merchant ships
  2. a commander or crew member of a privateer

Etymology: < privat(e) + -eer

intransitive verb

to sail as a privateer

privateer Synonyms

privateer

n.

  1. Pirate ship

    private vessel, armed vessel, freebooter; see ship.

  2. Pirate

    buccaneer, corsair, freebooter; see pirate.

privateer Usage Examples

Object

  • expedition: Drake undertook a further privateering expedition to the West Indies in company with Hawkins.
  • venture: Several of these were financed by merchants actively engaged in the privateering ventures.

Converse of object

  • capture: Under Thomson's command, Colibri captured seven privateers during the first two years of the war.
  • take: Smugglers were the " Hound's " principal prey, but she took several small enemy privateers during the French war.
  • let: New Labor is prepared to let the privateers, mostly anti-union companies, wreck the postal service.

Converse of subject

  • capture: On his voyage he was captured by a French privateer.

Adjective modifier

  • French: On the way there they captured in the port of Achin a French privateer ready to cruise in the South China Sea.
  • Spanish: On their outward voyage, they narrowly escaped capture by a Spanish privateer.
  • American: The smaller vessels also did well, and American privateers carried the war to the very shores of England.
  • English: To make matters worse, by the end of the century English privateers were capturing increasing numbers of Portuguese ships carrying pepper.
  • small: However, the big frigates were not enough for the myriad small French privateers.
  • Dutch: In November fought with a Dutch privateer for four or five hours.

Modifies a noun

  • team: A strong field of privateer teams hopes to challenge the factory riders at Daytona.
  • lugger: The third Defender was a French privateer lugger, captured in the same year.
  • entrant: No. The race is for the " privateer entrant " who has the necessary experience to drive fast on the open road.
  • brig: During a stormy night on 5 February 1801 AMELIA captured the French privateer brig LA JUSTE of St. Malo.
  • bike: Sheene then raced with a Yamaha, sponsored by Akai but found that the privateer bike was no match against the works machinery.

Noun used with modifier

  • NHS: Government advertises for NHS privateers ( 30/6/06 ) UNISON calls for TUC meeting over ' breach of trust ' more.
  • enemy: Smugglers were the " Hound's " principal prey, but she took several small enemy privateers during the French war.

Preposition: of

  • gun: In March 1745 he captured a French privateer of 14 guns and carried the prize into Kinsale.