syndicate-n; 3 Senses

Sense Number 1: loose affiliation of gangsters, the mob

Commentary: SYNDICATE[+entity][+affiliation][-legal][+gangster]
NOTE: refers to illegal affiliations and activities

Examples:
He was the boss of a big crime syndicate in Chicago.
They are racketeers who work for a local syndicate.
They believe he's still running his syndicate from behind bars.

Mappings:
WordNet 3.0 Sense Numbers: 1

Sense Number 2: legal companies affiliated for some purpose, cartels

Commentary: SYNDICATE[+entity][+affiliation][+legal][+company][+cooperating]

Examples:
It was a buyout involving a syndicate of financial institutions.
His firm recently joined a manufacturing syndicate.

Mappings:
WordNet 3.0 Sense Numbers: 2

Sense Number 3: news agency that sells news to multiple publishers

Commentary: SYNDICATE[+entity][+organization][+agency][+news][+distributor]

Examples:
They are one of the major news syndicates in the United States.
She is the sole heiress to her father's huge publishing syndicate.

Mappings:
WordNet 3.0 Sense Numbers: 3