n. [ F. marque, in lettre de marque letter of marque, a commission with which the commandant of every armed vessel was obliged to be provided, under penalty of being considered a pirate or corsair; marque here prob. meaning, border, boundary (the letter of marque being a permission to go beyond the border), and of German origin. See March border. ] (Law) A license to pass the limits of a jurisdiction, or boundary of a country, for the purpose of making reprisals. [ 1913 Webster ]

Letters of marque,
Letters of marque and reprisal, a license or extraordinary commission granted by a government to a private person to fit out a privateer or armed ship to cruise at sea and make prize of the enemy's ships and merchandise. The ship so commissioned is sometimes called a letter of marque. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. marquise, misunderstood as a plural; prob. orig., tent of the marchioness. See Marquis. ] A large field tent; esp., one adapted to the use of an officer of high rank. [ Written also markee. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. Sp. marques. See Marquis. ] A marquis. [ 1913 Webster ]

Lady marquess, a marchioness. [ Obs. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. marqueterie, from marqueter to checker, inlay, fr. marque mark, sign; of German origin. See Mark a sign. ] Inlaid work; work inlaid with pieces of wood, shells, ivory, veneer, and the like, of several colors, fitted together to form a design or picture that is then used to ornament furniture. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Also . (Engraving) (a) A small design etched on the margin of a plate and supposed to be removed after the earliest proofs have been taken; also, any feature distinguishing a particular stage of the plate. (b) A print or proof so distinguished; -- commonly called a . [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]