impressment

impressment
Forcing into service, particularly public service or military service. The seizure of seafaring men for compulsory service in the navy. The power to impress seamen appears to have had a common-law origin, but even the early English statutes greatly curtailed it. See 1 Bl Comm 419. The impressment of American citizens into service in the English navy, however, was one of the causes of the War of 1812.

Ballentine's law dictionary. . 1998.

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  • Impressment — (colloquially, the Press or press ganging ) is the act of conscripting people to serve in the military or navy, usually by force and without notice. It was used by the Royal Navy, beginning in 1664 and during the 18th and early 19th centuries, in …   Wikipedia

  • Impressment — Im*press ment ([i^]m*pr[e^]s ment), n. The act of seizing for public use, or of impressing into public service; compulsion to serve; as, the impressment of provisions or of sailors. [1913 Webster] The great scandal of our naval service… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • impressment — index abduction, attachment (seizure), compulsion (coercion), distress (seizure), duress, force …   Law dictionary

  • impressment — (n.) 1796, act of impressing into service, from IMPRESS (Cf. impress) (v.) + MENT (Cf. ment) …   Etymology dictionary

  • impressment — [im pres′mənt] n. [ IMPRESS1 + MENT] the practice or act of impressing men or property for the use or service of the public …   English World dictionary

  • impressment — /im pres meuhnt/, n. the act of impressing people or property into public service or use. [1780 90; IMPRESS2 + MENT] * * * Enforcement of military or naval service on unwilling men. Until the early 19th century, it flourished in port towns… …   Universalium

  • impressment — A power possessed by the English crown of taking persons or property to aid in the defense of the country, with or without the consent of the persons concerned. It is usually exercised to obtain hands for the royal ships in time of war, by taking …   Black's law dictionary

  • impressment — A power possessed by the English crown of taking persons or property to aid in the defense of the country, with or without the consent of the persons concerned. It is usually exercised to obtain hands for the royal ships in time of war, by taking …   Black's law dictionary

  • impressment — noun /ɪmˈpɹɛsmənt/ The act of seizing for public use; impressing into public service. A month later the governors of six more states, meeting in conference, enigmatically urged the impressment of slaves for “the public service as may be… …   Wiktionary

  • impressment — noun Date: 1787 the act of seizing for public use or of impressing into public service …   New Collegiate Dictionary

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