letter of marque

English

Alternative forms

• letter of mart

Noun

letter of marque (plural letters of marque)

1. (nautical, historical) An official commission from a government authorizing someone to seize the property or people of another nation; especially to attack merchant shipping of another nation.
   • 1976, Stan Rogers (lyrics and music), “Barrett's Privateers”, in Fogarty's Cove:

     A letter of marque came from the King / to the scummiest vessel I'd ever seen / God damn them all! I was told / We'd cruise the seas for American gold / We'd fire no guns, shed no tears.

2. (nautical, historical) A ship that has been armed for such a task.

Translations

official commission

• Catalan: patent de cors f
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 私掠許可證／私掠许可证 (sīlüè xǔkězhèng)

• Dutch: kaperbrief (nl) m
• Finnish: kaapparikirja
• French: lettre de marque (fr) f
• Portuguese: carta de marca
• Russian: ка́перское свиде́тельство n (káperskoje svidételʹstvo)
• Spanish: patente de corso f
• Swedish: kaparbrev n

ship that has been armed for such a task

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 持有私掠許可證的船／持有私掠许可证的船 (chíyǒu sīlüè xǔkězhèng de chuán)

• Dutch: kaperschip (nl) n
• Finnish: kaapparilaiva (fi)
• French: please add this translation if you can
• Portuguese: please add this translation if you can
• Russian: ка́пер (ru) m (káper), привати́р (ru) m (privatír)
• Spanish: please add this translation if you can
• Swedish: kaparskepp n

See also

• privateer
• letter of countermarque

Further reading

• letter of marque on Wikipedia.Wikipedia