contraband
/ˈkɑn.tɹəˌbænd/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: 3.12 in modern English
15
Scrabble Score
10
Letters
3
Syllables
8
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A black slave during the American Civil War who had escaped to, or been captured by, Union forces.
American usage; Countable
adj
Prohibited from being traded.
Example Sentences
- "While some Yanks treated contrabands with a degree of equity or benevolence, the more typical response was indifference, contempt, or cruelty."
- "… when the seizure is made in connection with a violation involving a contraband article covered by section 1 (b) (1) of the said Act; …"
- "The exclusion of mandatory payment of moieties for seizures of contraband controlled substances is accomplished through Section 17 of the bill, …"
- "4. Contraband goods may be seized if found in a river before they are landed or offered for sale."
- "there are also searched for concealed Slaves, and goods contrabanded"
- "The law severely contrabands / Our taking business off men's hands."
Etymology
Origin
Word Breakdown
- Root: contrabanda, contrabando, contrebande
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈkɑn.tɹəˌbænd/
- British English: /ˈkɒn.tɹəˌbænd/
Usage
- Uncountable
- American usage
- Countable
- Obsolete
Inflected Forms
contrabands (plural)
more contraband (comparative)
most contraband (superlative)
contrabands (present, singular)
contrabanding (participle, present)
contrabanded (participle, past)
contrabanded (past)