Piracies

1 definition found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Piracy \Pi"ra*cy\, n.; pl. {Piracies}. [Cf. LL. piratia, Gr. ?.
     See {Pirate}.]
     1. The act or crime of a pirate.
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     2. (Common Law) Robbery on the high seas; the taking of


        property from others on the open sea by open violence;
        without lawful authority, and with intent to steal; -- a
        crime answering to robbery on land.
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     Note: By statute law several other offenses committed on the
           seas (as trading with known pirates, or engaging in the
           slave trade) have been made piracy.
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     3. "Sometimes used, in a quasi-figurative sense, of violation
        of copyright; but for this, infringement is the correct
        and preferable term." --Abbott.
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