Pi"rate (?), n. [L. pirata, Gr. &?;, fr. &?; to attempt, undertake, from making attempts or attacks on ships, &?; an attempt, trial; akin to E. peril: cf. F. pirate. See Peril.] 1. A robber on the high seas; one who by open violence takes the property of another on the high seas; especially, one who makes it his business to cruise for robbery or plunder; a freebooter on the seas; also, one who steals in a harbor.

2. An armed ship or vessel which sails without a legal commission, for the purpose of plundering other vessels on the high seas.

3. One who infringes the law of copyright, or publishes the work of an author without permission.

Pi"rate, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Pirated (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Pirating.] [Cf. F. pirater.] To play the pirate; to practice robbery on the high seas.

Pi"rate, v. t. To publish, as books or writings, without the permission of the author.

They advertised they would pirate his edition.

• one who robs ships while at sea; a nautical bandit
  
• (internet) one who reproduces copyrighted works without permission for the purpose of distributing them to others for free
  
• (internet) one who downloads copyrighted works from the internet illegally.
  
• (internet) to obtain, usually by downloading from a file sharing network, an unauthorized copy of software or other works
       Not willing to spend full price for the game, Heidi instead pirated a copy.
  
• an illegal imitation or reproduction of a well-known trademarked product or work subject to copyright protection.