n.
Pronunciation: ' ber- ə -tr ē , ' ba-r ə -
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural -tries
Etymology: Middle English (Sc) barratrie, from Anglo-French *baraterie, literally, deception, from Old French barater to be active, do business, cause strife, deceive, perhaps from Vulgar Latin *prattare, from Greek prattein, prassein to do ― more at PRACTICAL
Date: 15th century
1 : the purchase or sale of office or preferment in church or state
2 : an unlawful act or fraudulent breach of duty by a master of a ship or by the mariners to the injury of the owner of the ship or cargo
3 : the persistent incitement of litigation