contraband

English

Pronunciation

• (US) IPA: /ˈkɒn.tɹəˌbænd/

Noun

Wikipedia contraband (usually uncountable; plural contrabands)

1. (uncountable) any goods which are illicit or illegal to possess
2. (uncountable) goods which are prohibited from being traded, smuggled goods
3. (countable, US, historical) A black slave during the American Civil War who had escaped to, or been captured by, Union forces.
   • 1988, James McPherson, Battle Cry of Freedom, Oxford 2003, p. 497:

     While some Yanks treated contrabands with a degree of equity or benevolence, the more typical response was indifference, contempt, or cruelty.

Translations

goods which are prohibited from being traded, smuggled goods

• Bulgarian: контрабанда (bg) (kontrabánda) f
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 禁品 (cmn) (jìnpǐn), 違禁品 (cmn), 违禁品 (cmn) (wéijìnpǐn)

• Czech: kontraband (cs) m
• French: contrebande (fr) f
• German: Schmuggelware (de) f, Kontrebande (de) f

• Hungarian: csempészáru (hu)
• Italian: contrabbando (it) m
• Japanese: 禁制品 (ja) (きんせいひん, kinseihin), 密売品 (ja) (みつばいひん, mitsubaihin)
• Portuguese: contrabando (pt) m
• Russian: контрабанда (ru) (kontrabánda) f

Adjective

contraband (comparative more contraband, superlative most contraband)

1. prohibited from being traded
   • 1940 – The Code of Federal Regulations of the United States of America: Having ... – Division of the Federal Register, the National Archives – Page 2191

     "[...] when the seizure is made in connection with a violation involving a contraband article covered by section 1 (b) (1) of the said Act; [...]"

   • 1953 – United States, United States. President, United States. Congress – United States Code Congressional and Administrative News – Page 2039

     "The exclusion of mandatory payment of moieties for seizures of contraband controlled substances is accomplished through Section 17 of the bill, [...]"

   • 1899 – Albert William Chaster – The Powers, Duties and Liabilities of Executive Officers as Between These ... – Stevens and Haynes – Page 55

     "4. Contraband goods may be seized if found in a river before they are landed or offered for sale."

Verb

contraband (third-person singular simple present contrabands, present participle contrabanding, simple past and past participle contrabanded)

1. (obsolete) To import illegally; to smuggle.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Johnson to this entry?)

2. (obsolete) To declare prohibited; to forbid.
   • Hudibras

     The law severely contrabands / Our taking business off men's hands.

Translations

To import illegally

• Portuguese: contrabandear (pt) m