barratry
Americannoun
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fraud by a master or crew at the expense of the owners of the ship or its cargo.
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the offense of frequently exciting and stirring up lawsuits and quarrels.
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the purchase or sale of ecclesiastical preferments or of offices of state.
noun
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criminal law (formerly) the vexatious stirring up of quarrels or bringing of lawsuits
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maritime law a fraudulent practice committed by the master or crew of a ship to the prejudice of the owner or charterer
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Scots law the crime committed by a judge in accepting a bribe
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the purchase or sale of public or Church offices
Other Word Forms
- barratrous adjective
- barratrously adverb
Etymology
Origin of barratry
1400–50; late Middle English barratrie < Anglo-French, Middle French baraterie combat, fighting. See barrator, -ery
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But of all sins, that of “barratry” was one of the most hateful to him.
From Project Gutenberg
I saw at once that here was a case of barratry of the master, and that the letter would jeopardize the whole affair of the insurance.
From Project Gutenberg
The commencing of suits in the name of a fictitious plaintiff is common barratry.
From Project Gutenberg
Still, amidst these facts, which seemed to point pretty clearly to a case of barratry, there were serious difficulties.
From Project Gutenberg
The case of the notorious Mrs. Winslow, indicted for common barratry, terminated to-day.
From Project Gutenberg
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
