right of search

American  

noun

International Law.

1. the privilege of a nation at war to search neutral ships on the high seas for contraband or other matter, carried in violation of neutrality, that may subject the ship to seizure.

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right of search British  

noun

1. the right of a belligerent to stop and search neutral merchant ships on the high seas in wartime

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Etymology

Origin of right of search

First recorded in 1810–20

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

right of search

Google uses the open-source encyclopedia to populate the Knowledge Graphs that appear to the right of search results.

From Slate ● Feb. 15, 2019

A treaty is being negotiated with Great Britain with respect to the right of search of hovering vessels.

From Time Magazine Archive

It is the old question of the right of search come up again.

From War Letters of a Public-School Boy by Jones, Henry Paul Mainwaring

It recognizes no right of search in time of peace.

From The Works of Daniel Webster, Volume 1 by Webster, Daniel

So deeply had the public sensibility been wounded on both points, that any extension of the right of search by the consent of the United States was for a long time nearly hopeless.

From The Works of Daniel Webster, Volume 1 by Webster, Daniel