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freebooting

freebooting

9.7
Being like a pirate by stealing goods and breaking the law
  • adjective
  • /ˈfriːˌbuːtɪŋ/
  • Archaic
translation icon : piratería
  • The freebooting pirates attacked the merchant ships.

Examples

  • The freebooting adventurers sailed the seas in search of treasure and excitement.

  • His freebooting attitude made him both admired and feared among his peers.

  • The company was accused of freebooting tactics in its aggressive market expansion.

  • Many consider his freebooting tactics unethical.

  • The freebooting pirates raided the coastal village, taking anything of value.

  • Her freebooting lifestyle often led her to engage in risky ventures for quick profits.

  • With their freebooting ways, they disregarded the laws of the sea in pursuit of fortune.

Synonyms

piracy
vsfreebooting
45 4.9

Using or copying someone's work without permission

refers to physical plunder and lawless opportunism not only copying
rip-off
vsfreebooting
  • Informal
31 7.2

A situation where someone charges too much money for something

involves broader lawless taking or plunder beyond mere overcharging
stealing
vsfreebooting
5 1.0

Taking something that belongs to another person without permission

includes violent plunder and wider lawless opportunism
bootlegging
vsfreebooting
1 7.8

Making or selling goods without the owner's permission

focuses on plundering and opportunistic seizure rather than illegal production

Antonyms

54 4.6

A state in which something is allowed by law or official rules

lawfulness
  • Formal
1 4.7

Being allowed by law

How Lawless

piracy
  • NSFW
19 6.1
freebooting
  • Archaic
9.7
raiding
5.1

Surface Forms

freebooting positive

Morphology

freebooting = freeboot (semi-transparent) = freeboot + ing

The formation from the verb 'freeboot' to an -ing adjectival/participle is a regular and transparent morphological process.

Etymology

Freebooting comes from old German and Dutch words like Freibeuter and vrijbuiter, which join free and booty ('treasure'). So freebooting as an adjective describes a pirate-like or lawless way of acting that takes goods or chances without care.