ligan: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Extremely RareFormal, Historical, Technical (Maritime/Legal)
Quick answer
What does “ligan” mean?
A term from maritime law for goods or wreckage lying on the sea bed, intentionally sunk with a buoy attached to mark ownership, often to be recovered later.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A term from maritime law for goods or wreckage lying on the sea bed, intentionally sunk with a buoy attached to mark ownership, often to be recovered later.
A historical legal term for jettisoned cargo that is meant to be retrieved; also known historically as 'lagan'. This refers specifically to property abandoned at sea but marked for later recovery, distinct from 'jetsam' or 'flotsam'.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant contemporary difference as the term is archaic. Historically used in English Common Law and its derivatives.
Connotations
Purely technical and historical. No modern connotative differences between regions.
Frequency
Effectively zero frequency in both dialects. Might appear marginally more in British texts due to historical maritime legal tradition, but this is negligible.
Grammar
How to Use “ligan” in a Sentence
The [noun: ligan] was attached to a buoy.They declared the sunken cargo to be [noun: ligan].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “ligan” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The captain decided to ligan the valuable chest to the sea floor.
adjective
British English
- The ligan cargo was subject to salvage rights.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Possibly in historical or legal studies focusing on maritime law.
Everyday
Never used.
Technical
Exclusively in historical or specialised discussions of admiralty/salvage law.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “ligan”
- Using it in modern contexts.
- Confusing it with 'flotsam' (floating wreckage) or 'jetsam' (thrown overboard).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is an extremely rare and archaic term used only in specific historical or legal contexts related to maritime salvage.
Flotsam is wreckage floating after a ship sinks. Jetsam is cargo thrown overboard (jettisoned) to lighten a ship. Ligan (or lagan) is cargo deliberately sunk and marked with a buoy for later recovery.
It would be highly unusual and likely misunderstood. It is not part of modern active vocabulary.
Not precisely. The concept is absorbed into broader modern maritime salvage law, but the specific term is obsolete.
A term from maritime law for goods or wreckage lying on the sea bed, intentionally sunk with a buoy attached to mark ownership, often to be recovered later.
Ligan is usually formal, historical, technical (maritime/legal) in register.
Ligan: in British English it is pronounced /ˈlɪɡən/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈlɪɡən/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a buoy 'LIG'htly ANchoring sunken goods to the sea floor (LIG-AN).
Conceptual Metaphor
PROPERTY IS AN ANCHORED OBJECT (marked and waiting below the surface).
Practice
Quiz
Ligan is most closely associated with which field?