Marauder is the word that is most often found in literary works, as well as in media reports. Basically, he is associated with events occurring during various unrest, military operations or any natural disasters, when some people try to appropriate other people's good. Is it correct? To understand who this is - a marauder, the proposed article will help.
Decayed burglar
Regarding the meaning of the word marauder, the dictionary says that this is a person who robs the wounded and killed either on the battlefield or in the area of military operations. And also it is a soldier robbing civilians in wartime who has undergone moral decay.
Examples of the use of the word:
- All night Sergey had to listen to gangs of marauders operating right under his windows, and at the same time he was tormented by the thought that this could not be stopped.
- This group of marauders included locals who decided that the war was a good time to deal with their vile deeds and a good opportunity to fish in troubled waters.
- The Chekists were endowed with special powers: they had the right to shoot marauders and alarmists on the spot.
- As usual, as if from under the ground, looters suddenly appeared who intuitively felt the insecurity and confusion of the local inhabitants.
- At that moment, marauders appeared in a defenseless county who began to atrocity, raiding, and robbing tenants.
Figuratively
In this sense, the marauder is the colloquial designation of a speculator merchant who resells goods at very high prices.
Examples of offers:
- Since the year was lean, there was not enough bread, and the market was flooded with speculators, marauders, ready to tear three skins from the population for the sake of profit.
- When, during the war, merchants shamelessly profit from the supply of weapons, provisions, uniforms, while supplying low-quality goods, they are the same looters as those who rob openly.
Etymology
It is assumed that the origin of the word marauder originates in French. There is a noun maraudeur, which translates as "robber". It, in turn, was formed from the middle French noun maraud, meaning "swindler, swindler." Researchers have not yet been able to establish further etymology.
It is believed that the studied word got its distribution in some European languages during the Thirty Years War, which lasted from 1618 to 1648. In Russian, it has become especially widely used, starting with events related to the Patriotic War of 1812. Etymologists also compare it with the popular word "myroder", which is close to the noun "world" and the verb "to tear."
Understanding who this is a marauder will help considering a noun that is closely related to the concept being studied.
Criminal offense
In the criminal legislation of the Soviet Union, looting was interpreted as a war crime of stealing (secretly or openly) things that were on the battlefield with wounded, killed people who were either military personnel or civilians. Also, the theft of things from the wounded who are evacuated also falls under this concept.
As for international law, looting is considered in a broader way. It also contains a robbery of the population located on the territory of the enemy. Often accompanied by acts of violence.
In the Criminal Code of the republics of the USSR, looting was punished until the execution carried out on the spot. There is no such article in the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, and the relevant actions are qualified as robbery, robbery or theft.
Sometimes the media also call the looting of property that was left from the owners in peacetime, for example, during a natural disaster. It should be noted that this approach is erroneous.