Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)/Filibuster
FILIBUSTER, a sea-rover; a pirate;
a corsair; a freebooter, or buccaneer;
sometimes applied to any military adventurer
who undertakes an expedition
against a territory, unauthorized by law

or the exigencies of war. The term
filibuster, now used in any country where
the English language is spoken, was first
applied in New Orleans to certain
adventurers who, after the termination of
the war between this country and Mexico,
exerted themselves with setting on
foot within the United States military
expeditions designed to operate in the
Spanish-American countries to the S. of
us. The pretended object of these
expeditions was the emancipation of those
countries from tyranny, foreign or
domestic, and the introduction of
democratic institutions after the model of the
United States. The most noted expedition
of this sort was that led by Walker
against Nicaragua in 1855. See
.