Privateer (Noun)
Meaning 1
An officer or crew member of a privateer.
Classification
Nouns denoting people.
Examples
- As a privateer, he had raided many Spanish ships in the Caribbean during the war of 1812.
- The young privateer had originally enlisted to fight for his country but later found the thrill of privateering to be more lucrative.
- Privateers often followed a code of conduct, but this particular ship was notorious for its ruthless tactics.
- Throughout the American Revolutionary War, privateers wreaked havoc on British shipping lines, sinking hundreds of vessels.
- When the war finally ended, the privateer settled down and began a quiet life on a small island he had discovered during his adventures.
Synonyms
Hypernyms
Meaning 2
A privately owned warship commissioned to prey on the commercial shipping or warships of an enemy nation.
Classification
Nouns denoting man-made objects.
Examples
- The privateer was authorized by the British government to attack and capture French merchant vessels during the war.
- Privateers played a significant role in disrupting the supply lines of the enemy nation during the American Revolutionary War.
- The ship was initially a merchant vessel but was later converted into a privateer to take advantage of the profits to be made from plundering enemy ships.
- In the 18th century, privateers were a common feature of naval warfare, with many private shipowners seeking to profit from the conflict.
- The most successful privateer of the war was credited with capturing over 20 enemy ships and earning a substantial fortune for its owner.