land pirates
Bandits on horseback
Land pirates are thieves or bandits who operate on roads rather than at sea—highway robbers who waylay travelers.
The term draws a parallel between maritime piracy and overland robbery, emphasizing the lawless, predatory nature of both.
Historically, land pirates plagued trade routes and frontier regions: The land pirates ambushed stagecoaches along the Natchez Trace.
- highwaymanMounted thief targeting travelers
- highway robberyOutrageously excessive charge
- hold upDelay or armed robbery
- brigandArmed robber, often rural
- armed robberyTheft with weapon threat
stick em up · plunderer · bushrangers · bandit · Robin Hood · profiteers · outlaw · marauder · thief · ruffian · exploits · robber · footpads · pillaging · extortion · mercenary · trade routes · ambush
land piratessheriffs
Elected county law officers
lawmen · marshals · highway patrol · law enforcement · constables
land, lands, landed, landing, landings, landlord, landowner, landmark, landscape