letter of marque

noun

1. license or commission granted by a state to a private citizen to capture and confiscate the merchant ships of another nation.

letter of marque

noun

1. a licence granted by a state to a private citizen to arm a ship and seize merchant vessels of another nation
2. a similar licence issued by a nation allowing a private citizen to seize goods or citizens of another nation

Word History and Origins

Origin of letter of marque¹

late Middle English word dating back to 1400–50

Example Sentences

I believed my land-service commission would protect me, but I asked for the letter-of-marque as an additional safeguard.

From Project Gutenberg

The scheme was not impossible for any one holding a privateer's commission, and I applied to Mr. Yancey for a letter-of-marque.

From Project Gutenberg

In that day, even a French ship-of-the-line was no model of discipline or order, and a letter-of-marque was consequently worse.

From Project Gutenberg

The prize proved to be the ship I have mentioned, a letter-of-marque, from Guadaloupe, bound to Nantes.

From Project Gutenberg

Well, as if that wern't enough, we ship together again in this vessel, and a time we had of it with the French letter-of-marque.

From Project Gutenberg