on the prowl
verb (used without object)
1.
to rove or go about stealthily, as in search of prey, something to steal, etc.
verb (used with object)
2.
to rove over or through in search of what may be found: The cat prowled the alleys in search of food.
noun
Idioms 3.
act of prowling.
4.
on the prowl, in the act of prowling; searching stealthily: The cat is on the prowl for mice.
Origin:
1350–1400; Middle English prollen < ?
1350–1400; Middle English prollen < ?
Related forms
prowl·ing·ly, adverb
un·prowl·ing, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Link To on the prowl
Collins
World English Dictionary
prowl (praʊl) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —vb (when intr, | |
| 1. | to move stealthily around (a place) as if in search of prey or plunder |
| —n | |
| 2. | the act of prowling |
| 3. | on the prowl |
| a. moving around stealthily | |
| b. zealously pursuing members of the opposite sex | |
| [C14 prollen, of unknown origin] | |
| 'prowler | |
| —n | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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00:10
On the prowl
is always a great word to know.
So is ninnyhammer. Does it mean:
| a fool or simpleton; ninny. |
| a calculus or concretion found in the stomach or intestines of certain animals, esp. ruminants, formerly reputed to be an effective remedy for poison. |
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
prowl
late 14c., prollen, "move about in search of something," of unknown origin, with no known cognates. Meaning "go stealthily in search of prey" is first recorded 1580s. The noun, in on the prowl, is attested from 1803. Prowler is attested from 1519.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Slang Dictionary
on the prowl definition
|
Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition.
Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
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Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
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American Heritage
Idioms & Phrases
on the prowl
Actively looking for something, as in Their underpaid computer programmers are always on the prowl for better jobs. This idiom transfers an animal's search for prey to human pursuits that are usually less bloodthirsty. [c. 1800]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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