— piratelike , adj. — piratical /puy rat"i keuhl, pi-/ , piratic , adj. — piratically , adv.
/puy"reuht/ , n. , v. , pirated, pirating .
n.
1. a person who robs or commits illegal violence at sea or on the shores of the sea.
2. a ship used by such persons.
3. any plunderer, predator, etc.: confidence men, slumlords, and other pirates.
4. a person who uses or reproduces the work or invention of another without authorization.
5. Also called pirate stream . Geol. a stream that diverts into its own flow the headwaters of another stream, river, etc.
v.t.
6. to commit piracy upon; plunder; rob.
7. to take by piracy: to pirate gold.
8. to use or reproduce (a book, an invention, etc.) without authorization or legal right: to pirate hit records.
9. to take or entice away for one's own use: Our competitor is trying to pirate our best salesman.
v.i.
10. to commit or practice piracy.
[ 1250-1300; ME pirata peiratés, equiv. to peira -, var. s. of peirân to attack + - tes agent n. suffix ]
Syn. 1. freebooter, buccaneer, corsair, plunderer.