Definition of mosstrooper in English:
mosstrooper
nounˈmɒstruːpəˈmɔsˌtrupər
A person who lived by plundering property in the Scottish Borders during the 17th century.
Example sentencesExamples
- He received a sum of money from the Prince of Orange for the mosstroopers and cattle-drivers from the middle marches whom he despatched to fight against Holland's enemies.
- It was obviously written for the children or grandchildren of the mosstroopers whose exploits it glorifies, a generation to whom appeals to a higher code than their ancestors accepted would have been wholly unintelligible.
- The Borders were a very dangerous place at that time because of mosstroopers, who were basically little different from the rustlers of the Old West.
- The Union of the Crowns in 1603 largely brought about an end to such activities, though mosstroopers and horse thieves were still active in the borders throughout the seventeenth century.
- Not far from this well is Tom Smith's Leap, so called from a legend of a mosstrooper who, when pursued, jumped down and was killed rather than fall into the hands of justice.
- However, lawlessness remained a problem, with bandits known as mosstroopers, very often former Royalist or Covenanter soldiers, plundering both the English troops and the civilian population.
Definition of mosstrooper in US English:
mosstrooper
nounˈmôsˌtro͞opərˈmɔsˌtrupər
A person who lived by plundering property in the border region between England and Scotland during the 17th century.
Example sentencesExamples
- The Union of the Crowns in 1603 largely brought about an end to such activities, though mosstroopers and horse thieves were still active in the borders throughout the seventeenth century.
- He received a sum of money from the Prince of Orange for the mosstroopers and cattle-drivers from the middle marches whom he despatched to fight against Holland's enemies.
- It was obviously written for the children or grandchildren of the mosstroopers whose exploits it glorifies, a generation to whom appeals to a higher code than their ancestors accepted would have been wholly unintelligible.
- The Borders were a very dangerous place at that time because of mosstroopers, who were basically little different from the rustlers of the Old West.
- Not far from this well is Tom Smith's Leap, so called from a legend of a mosstrooper who, when pursued, jumped down and was killed rather than fall into the hands of justice.
- However, lawlessness remained a problem, with bandits known as mosstroopers, very often former Royalist or Covenanter soldiers, plundering both the English troops and the civilian population.