1. to act as a pirate or plunderer; to engage in piracy or robbery
Usage: archaic; historical

Examples

• The pirates would freeboot along the coast, attacking merchant vessels.
• During the colonial period, some sailors chose to freeboot rather than serve in the navy.
• The captain decided to freeboot in the Caribbean waters.
• Many former privateers continued to freeboot after the war ended.
• The crew abandoned their legitimate trade to freeboot on the high seas.