What distinguishes a pirate from a sailor?

Answer 1

Nothing. Anyone who works on a sailboat, or nowadays any kind of ship, was a sailor.

Answer 2

pirates illegally attack and raid ships for either hostages, money or valuable items. or any combination of the above. Some are very dangerous as they may suffer from mental problems where they are obssessed with killing/ violence. Some of the extremely dangerous hostage takers do not have demands. this means a peaceful negotiation cannot be achieved easily.

Smugglers however, do not attack or raid ships. They instead take say... a rifle and "smuggle" it through an airport, across a boarder or even into a museum so that the client who pays them to do this can pick it up on the other side so to speak.

Both of these acts/proffessions are against the law and carry a large , if not indeffinate sentence. DO NOT PARTICICATE IN ANY OF THE ABOVE ACTS

Not that you would or anything.

Answer 3

A sailor works on a ship as crew to sail or move a ship. A pirate steals from others for their own needs and benefit.