0 a pirate (= person who sails in a ship and attacks other ships in order to steal from them), especially one given permission by a government to attack enemy ships in the 16th - 18th centuries in the southern Mediterranean
The competition between the corsairs and the janissaries went beyond recruiting to raising revenue (especially involving piracy, the most fruitful source of funds).
The particular versatility of the words descended from "currere"is seen in such words as" current", "currency", "curriculum"and"corsair", which is a hit-and-run sea raider upon coastal settlements.
Economic conditions deteriorated through the 19th century, as foreign fleets curbed corsairs, and droughts perennially wreaked ill effect on production of cereals and olives.
He had to arm, equip, and supply the ships for the course of the war, and give letters of marque to corsairs.
Marghiloman, he argued, was a sailor in an age that preferred corsairs.
The exact circumstances are vague as to the reasons behind his becoming a corsair.
Investors essentially bought shares in a particular corsair business enterprise.
He immediately became one of the favourite crewmen of the famous corsair due to his success in hitting enemy vessels with cannons.
