名詞 barratry:

1. traffic in ecclesiastical offices or preferments
   同義詞：simony
2. the crime of a judge whose judgment is influenced by bribery
3. (maritime law) a fraudulent breach of duty by the master of a ship that injures the owner of the ship or its cargo; includes every breach of trust such as stealing or sinking or deserting the ship or embezzling the cargo
4. the offence of vexatiously persisting in inciting lawsuits and quarrels

bar.ra.try

n.（名詞）
【復(fù)數(shù)】 bar.ra.tries
Law The offense of persistently instigating lawsuits, typically groundless ones.
【法律】 訴訟挑唆：持續(xù)不斷地挑唆訴訟（尤指沒有理由的訴訟）的違法行為
An unlawful breach of duty on the part of a ship`s master or crew resulting in injury to the ship`s owner:
非法行為：導(dǎo)致船主受損失的船長或海員的不合法的失職行為：
例句：
.Gross misconduct of the officers is . . . barratry.(Tom Clancy)
.這些船上官員的胡作非為是…重大失職.(湯姆·克蘭西)

Sale or purchase of positions in church or state.
圣職買賣，官職買賣

來源：
Middle English barratrie [the sale of church offices]
中古英語 barratrie [圣職的出售]
from Old French baraterie [deception, malversation]
源自 古法語 baraterie [欺詐，營私舞弊]
from barater [to cheat] * see barrator
源自 barater [欺騙] *參見 barrator

【引伸】
bar.ratrous
bar.ratrously
adv.（副詞）