Barratry (Noun)
Meaning 1
(maritime law) a fraudulent breach of duty by the master of a ship that injures the owner of the ship or its cargo; includes every breach of trust such as stealing or sinking or deserting the ship or embezzling the cargo.
Classification
Nouns denoting acts or actions.
Examples
- The crew suspected barratry by the master, who had been acting suspiciously and had unaccountably changed the ship's course.
- The owner of the cargo sued the master for barratry, alleging that he had deliberately damaged the goods to collect the insurance.
- The captain was accused of barratry after it was discovered that he had been secretly selling the ship's fuel to a rival company.
- The ship's owner claimed that the master had committed barratry by intentionally running the vessel aground to collect the insurance payout.
- The investigation revealed that the master had been engaging in barratry by embezzling funds meant for the ship's maintenance and using them for personal expenses.
Meaning 2
The offense of vexatiously persisting in inciting lawsuits and quarrels.
Classification
Nouns denoting acts or actions.
Examples
- The lawyer's reputation for barratry had preceded him, warning off even the most desperate of clients.
- A history of barratry had turned the neighborhood into a contentious and litigious community.
- The judge was sick of the defendant's barratry and warned him of severe consequences for continued harassment.
- She was known for her barratry, deliberately stirring up disputes and disputes wherever she went.
- His law firm had made a lucrative business out of barratry, representing dubious claims and questionable clients.
Hypernyms
Meaning 3
The crime of a judge whose judgment is influenced by bribery.
Classification
Nouns denoting acts or actions.
Examples
- The judge's blatant barratry undermined the integrity of the court and eroded the public's trust.
- Despite the lack of concrete evidence, the scent of barratry lingered over the judge's questionable verdict.
- It was alleged that the judge's history of barratry had finally caught up with her, with several high-profile cases being reopened for review.
- The impartiality of the judge was called into question when it was discovered that she had accepted lavish gifts from one of the defendants, sparking accusations of barratry.
- After a lengthy investigation, the judge was found guilty of barratry and was subsequently stripped of her position and privileges.
Hypernyms
Meaning 4
Traffic in ecclesiastical offices or preferments.
Classification
Nouns denoting acts or actions.
Examples
- The corrupt bishop was accused of barratry for selling church positions to the highest bidder.
- The practice of barratry was rampant in the medieval church, with wealthy patrons buying their way into influential positions.
- The reformers sought to eliminate barratry from the church, believing it to be a corrupting influence on the clergy.
- The sale of indulgences was seen as a form of barratry, with the church profiting from the desperation of the faithful.
- The barratry of the church hierarchy was a major factor in the Protestant Reformation, as critics saw it as a sign of the church's moral decay.