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Webster 1913 Edition


Freebooting

Free′bootˊing

,
Noun.
Robbery; plunder; a pillaging.

Free′bootˊing

,
Adj.
Acting the freebooter; practicing freebootery; robbing.
Your
freebooting
acquaintance.
Sir W. Scott.

Webster 1828 Edition


Freebooting

FREE'BOOTING

,
Noun.
Robbery; plunder; a pillaging.

Definition 2024


freebooting

freebooting

English

Noun

freebooting (uncountable)

  1. Piracy or plundering.
    • 1853, James Richardson, Narrative of a Mission to Central Africa Performed in the Years 1850-51, Volume 2:
      The Haghar are well known, even in Europe, for their freebooting propensities.
    • 1900, Josephine Elizabeth Butler, Native Races and the War:
      Why do you now refuse to protect your own highway into the Interior, [] and thus put an end to the freebooting of the Boers, and of our own people who joined them?
    • 1921, Howard Pyle, Howard Pyle's Book of Pirates:
      In a short time freebooting assumed all of the routine of a regular business.
  2. (computing) Software piracy, or plagiarism or unauthorized rehosting of digital content.
    • 1982, InfoWorld (volume 4, number 15, page 30)
      Your recent issue about the problems of electronic software piracy or "freebooting" — if you will — was excellent and timely. However, I wonder if both sides have failed to understand the social significance of the struggle.
    • 2014, Brady Haran, Hello Internet: Episode #5: Freebooting (the first use of the term with this sense)[1]:
      Oh those freebooters taking our videos! I'm sick of it. Freebooting, you know, it's a serious issue!

Translations

Adjective

freebooting (not comparable)

  1. Engaged in piracy or plunder
    • 1843, Ralph Waldo Emerson, The Correspondence of Thomas Carlyle and Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1834-1872, Vol II.:
      In one respect, as I hinted above, it is only too good, so sure of success, I mean, that you are no longer secure of any respect to your property in our freebooting America.

Translations

Verb

freebooting

  1. present participle of freeboot

References

  1. http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/technology/2015/07/freebooting_stolen_youtube_videos_going_viral_on_facebook.html