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depredate - 4 dictionary results

dep⋅re⋅date

  [dep-ri-deyt] verb, -dat⋅ed, -dat⋅ing.
Use depredate in a Sentence
–verb (used with object)
1. to plunder or lay waste to; prey upon; pillage; ravage.
–verb (used without object)
2. to plunder; pillage.
Origin:
1620–30; < LL dēpraedātus plundered (ptp. of depraedārī), equiv. to L dē- de- + praed(ārī) to plunder (see prey ) + -ātus -ate 1

Related forms:
dep⋅re⋅da⋅tor, noun
dep⋅re⋅da⋅to⋅ry  [dep-ri-dey-tuh-ree, di-pred-uh-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee] , adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To depredate
dep·re·date   (děp'rĭ-dāt')   
v.   dep·re·dat·ed, dep·re·dat·ing, dep·re·dates

v.   tr.
To ransack; plunder.
v.   intr.
To engage in plundering.

[Late Latin dēpraedārī, dēpraedāt- : Latin dē-, de- + Latin praedārī, to plunder (from praeda, booty; see ghend- in Indo-European roots).]
dep're·da'tor n., de·pred'a·to'ry (dĭ-prěd'ə-tôr'ē, -tōr'ē, děp'rĭ-də-) adj.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Depredate

Dep"re*date\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Depredated; p. pr. & vb. n. Depredating.] [L. depraedatus, p. p. of depraedari to plunder; de- + praedari to plunder, praeda plunder, prey. See Prey.] To subject to plunder and pillage; to despoil; to lay waste; to prey upon.

It makes the substance of the body . . . less apt to be consumed and depredated by the spirits. --Bacon.

Depredate

Dep"re*date\, v. i. To take plunder or prey; to commit waste; as, the troops depredated on the country.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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