Letters Of Marque

Pronunciation: /ˈlɛtərz ʌv mɑrk/

Definitions of letters of marque

noun a government license that allows a private person to attack and capture enemy vessels during wartime

Example Sentences

A1 Letters of marque were official documents that allowed private ships to attack enemy vessels during wartime.

A2 The captain of the ship proudly displayed his letters of marque, giving him the authority to engage in acts of piracy.

B1 During the Age of Sail, many countries issued letters of marque to privateers to disrupt enemy trade routes.

B2 The issuance of letters of marque was a common practice in the 17th and 18th centuries, allowing private ships to legally engage in naval warfare.

C1 The use of letters of marque became controversial as they blurred the lines between state-sanctioned warfare and piracy.

C2 The concept of letters of marque eventually fell out of favor as international laws governing warfare became more standardized.

Examples of letters of marque in a Sentence

formal During times of war, privateers were authorized to attack enemy ships with letters of marque.

informal Back in the day, privateers used to sail the seas with letters of marque to plunder enemy vessels.

slang Yo ho ho! With those letters of marque in hand, we be free to pillage and plunder as we please!

figurative In the business world, having a strong legal team is like having letters of marque to protect your interests.

Grammatical Forms of letters of marque

• plural: letters of marque
• present tense: issues letters of marque
• future tense: will issue letters of marque
• perfect tense: have issued letters of marque
• continuous tense: are issuing letters of marque
• singular: letter of marque
• infinitive: to issue letters of marque
• gerund: issuing letters of marque
• participle: issued letters of marque

Origin and Evolution of letters of marque

First Known Use: 1240 year

Language of Origin: French

Story behind the word: The term 'letters of marque' originated from the French phrase 'lettres de marque' which referred to official documents issued by a government authorizing private ships to attack and capture enemy vessels during times of war.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the term 'letters of marque' came to be synonymous with 'letters of reprisal' and eventually evolved into the modern concept of 'privateering' where private individuals or ships were authorized by a government to engage in acts of piracy against enemy targets.