letters of marque
noun phrase
: written authority granted to a private person by a government to seize the subjects of a foreign state or their goods
specifically
: a license granted to a private person to fit out an armed ship to plunder the enemy
Examples of letters of marque in a Sentence
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Earlier this year, my Utah senator Mike Lee proposed that Congress bring back letters of marque and reprisal.
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Rick Bennett, Time, 17 Sep. 2025
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Rick Bennett, Time, 17 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Letters of marque.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/letters%20of%20marque. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
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