privateering
nounUK /ˌpraɪvəˈtɪərɪŋ/
US /ˌpraɪvəˈtɪrɪŋ/
Privateering is when a country lets a ship's captain attack and rob enemy ships during a war.
The old sailor made his fortune through privateering during the war.
OTHER MEANINGS
2. The act of operating a privately owned armed ship commissioned by a government.
Privateering was common in the 1700s when governments hired captains to fight at sea.
3. The practice of capturing enemy merchant vessels for profit under official permission.
The museum exhibit explained how privateering helped fund the colony.
4. A historical naval strategy used by weaker nations to harass stronger fleets.
Privateering allowed small countries to challenge large navies without building a fleet.