Pirate

Defined in 6 dictionaries — Case Law, Cyclopedic (1922), Ballentine's (1916), Bouvier (1914), Black's (1910), Kinney (1893)

Definitions from Case Law

From 18 U.S. 71 - United States v. Smith · 1820Most cited · 211 citing opinions

The common law, too, recognises and punishes piracy as an offence, not against its own municipal code, but as an offence against the law of nations, (which is part of the common law,) as an offence against the universal law of society, a pirate being deemed an enemy of the human race.

Show all 2 Supreme Court definitions and how they changed over time 1781–1820

The Cyclopedic Law Dictionary

Walter A. Shumaker and George Foster Longsdorf; ed. James C. Cahill · 1922

A sea robber, who, to enrich himself, by subtlety or open force, setteth upon merchants and others trading by sea, despoiling them of their loading, and sometimes bereaving them of life and sinking their ships. Ridley, View, pt. 2, c. 1, § 3. One guilty of the crime of piracy. Merlin, Repert. See, for the etymology of this word, Bac. Abr. "Piracy."

Ballentine's Law Dictionary

James A. Ballentine · 1916

A sea robber.

Bouvier's Law Dictionary and Concise Encyclopedia

John Bouvier; revised by Francis Rawle · 1914

A sea-iobher, who, to enrich himself, by subtlety or opeu force, setteth upon merchants and others trading by sea, despoiling them of their loading, and sometimes bereaving them of life and sinking their ships. Ridley, View pt. 2, c. 1, s. 3. One guilty of the crime of piracy. Merlin, Rupert. See, for the etymology of this word, Bac. Abr. Piracy. See Piracy.

Black's Law Dictionary

Henry Campbell Black, M.A. · 1910

A person who lives by piracy; one guilty of the crime of piracy. A sea-robber, who, to enrich himself, by subtlety or open force, setteth upon merchants and others trading by sea, despoiling them of their loading, and sometimes bereaving them of life and sinking their ships. Ridley, Civll & Ecc. Law, pt. 2, c. 1, § 3. A pirate is one who acts solely on his own authority, without any commission or authority from a sovereign state, seizing by force, and appropriating to himself without discrimination, every vessel he meets with. Robbary on the high seas is piracy ; but to constitute the offense the taking must be felonious. Consequently the quo animo may be inquired into. Davison v. Seal-skins, 2 Paine, 324, Fed. Cas. No. 3,661. Pirates are common sea-rovers, without any fixed place of residence, who acknowledge no sovereign and no law, and support themselves by pillage and depredations at sea; but there are instances wherein the word "pirata" has been formerly taken for a sea-captain. Spelman.

A Law Dictionary and Glossary

George C. Kinney · 1893

A robber on the high seas.