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vigilante

noun
/ˌvɪd͡ʒ.ɪˈlæn.ti/UK/ˌvɪd͡ʒ.əˈlæn.ti/US

Etymology

Borrowed from Spanish vigilante (“watchman, guard”), from Latin vigilans. Doublet of vigilant.

  1. derived from vigilans
  2. borrowed from vigilante

Definitions

  1. A member of a vigilance committee.

  2. A person who acts outside of legal authority, often violently, to punish or avenge a…

    A person who acts outside of legal authority, often violently, to punish or avenge a crime, right a perceived wrong, etc.

    • Jeptha Billingsley, who was no prize pig himself (he had been arrested for horse theft and assault with intent to murder), was to be taught a lesson, and the vigilantes made him cut down the McLemores.

  3. A surname.

The neighborhood

Vish — recursive loop

No curated loop yet for vigilante. Loops are being traced one word at a time while the ingestion pipeline matures.

sense glosses and etymology drawn from English Wiktionary · source · CC-BY-SA