CONTRABAND Definition & Meaning

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contraband

[ kon-truh-band ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

anything prohibited by law from being imported or exported.
goods imported or exported illegally.
illegal or prohibited trade; smuggling.
International Law. contraband of war.
(during the American Civil War) an enslaved Black person who escaped to or was brought within the Union lines.

adjective

prohibited from export or import.

contraband

/ ˈ��ɒ�Գٰ�əˌ��æ�Ի� /

noun

1. goods that are prohibited by law from being exported or imported
2. illegally imported or exported goods
illegal traffic in such goods; smuggling
Also calledcontraband of war international law goods that a neutral country may not supply to a belligerent
(during the American Civil War) a Black slave captured by the Union forces or one who escaped to the Union lines

adjective

of goods
1. forbidden by law from being imported or exported
2. illegally imported or exported

contraband

Goods illegally transported across borders to avoid the payment of taxes.

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Derived Forms

ˈ��ǲԳٰ��ˌ��Ի徱��, noun

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Other �y��vlog Forms

�Դǲ�·��ǲ�t��·��Ի� noun adjective

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�y��vlog History and Origins

Origin of contraband¹

First recorded in 1520–30; earlier contrabanda, from Spanish, from Italian contrabando (now contrabbando ), equivalent to contra “against” + Medieval Latin bandum, variant of bannum “e�徱��”; contra ¹( def ), ban ²

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�y��vlog History and Origins

Origin of contraband¹

C16: from Spanish contrabanda, from Italian contrabando (modern contrabbando ), from Medieval Latin contrabannum, from contra- + bannum ban, of Germanic origin

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

When the vessels are in British waters the packages are thrown overboard to be collected by smaller "daughter" boats, which locate the contraband.

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Police got wind of the alleged plot, which included messages referencing a $2,500 upfront payment, recently when the inmate’s contraband phone was seized by authorities, TMZ said.

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Using contraband cellphones from his prison cell, Torres oversaw a black market for extorted commissary goods called the “kitty.”

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Relatives of those killed in the crash believe the goods train may have been carrying contraband fuel on behalf of a smuggling ring.

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During the trial, prosecutors made clear that California prisons are flooded with contraband cellphones, which gang leaders use to control rackets inside and outside their lockups.

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