Any one of a number of legal enactments regulating navigation, shipping, or seaborne trade, especially that of 1651 intended to restrict imports from the Netherlands (the U.K. acts were abolished in 1849).
Origin
Early 18th century.
Definition of navigation act in US English:
navigation act
noun
historical
Any one of a number of legal enactments regulating navigation, shipping, or seaborne trade, especially that of 1651 intended to restrict imports from the Netherlands (the U.K. acts were abolished in 1849).