1. the fraudulent breach of duty by a ship's master or crew resulting in loss to the owner or insurer
Usage: maritime law; legal term
2. the offense of a lawyer who engages in frivolous or malicious litigation
Usage: law; archaic or rare

Examples

• The ship's captain was accused of barretry after deliberately damaging the vessel to collect insurance.
• Maritime insurance policies typically exclude losses caused by barretry.
• The owner filed a claim against the crew for barretry when evidence showed intentional misconduct.
• In historical legal contexts, barretry referred to lawyers who promoted unnecessary lawsuits.
• The insurance company denied the claim, citing barretry as the cause of the ship's loss.