sea-rovern.
1. A pirate, = rover n.1 1a (Now often apprehended as meaning one who ‘roves’ over the sea: see rover n.2 2.)
ΘΚΠ
the mind > possession > taking > stealing or theft > robbery > piracy > [noun] > pirate
sea-thiefc1050
skimmera1387
scummera1398
galliotc1425
reaver1434
piratea1475
freebooter1570
sea-rover1579
filibuster1591
water rat1600
water thief1600
picaroon1624
sea-rata1640
Algerine1657
marooner1661
rat1675
Likedeelers1764
Viking1807
sea-wolf1837
piratess1862
1579 T. North tr. Plutarch Liues 546 Besides such as the pyrates and sea rouers had hidden.
1670 J. Milton Hist. Brit. i. 10 A certain Iland long before dispeopl'd and left wast by Sea-Roavers.
1788 Ann. Reg. 1786 State Papers 280/1 They shall cause all such pirates and sea-rovers..to be brought to condign punishment.
1872 J. Yeats Growth Commerce 50 The Greeks like sea-rovers generally were first induced to build ships for the sake of plunder, rather than of commerce.
2. ‘A ship or vessel that is employed in cruizing for plunder’ (Webster, 1828–32).
Derivatives
sea-roving n. and adj.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > possession > taking > stealing or theft > robbery > piracy > [noun]
scummerfare1358
pirating1526
piratry1526
piracya1552
rovery1575
roving1585
picarooning1727
sea-roving1841
piratism1882
the mind > possession > taking > stealing or theft > robbery > piracy > [adjective]
piratical1550
picarooning1625
pirately1625
piratica1640
picaroon1650
sea-roving1841
1841 T. Carlyle On Heroes i. 52 Nor was it altogether nothing, even that wild sea-roving and battling, through so many generations.
1847 Webster's Amer. Dict. Eng. Lang. Sea-roving, a. wandering on the ocean.
1855 C. Kingsley Argonauts in Heroes (1856) v. 134 Those crafty sea-roving Phæaces.
1900 W. Watt Aberdeen & Banff i. 19 Thorfinn..went sea-roving like all his kindred.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1911; most recently modified version published online December 2019).
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n.1579