noun
1.
an animal hunted or seized for food, especially by a carnivorous animal.
2.
a person or thing that is the victim of an enemy, a swindler, a disease, etc.; gull.
3.
the action or habit of preying: a beast of prey.
4.
Archaic. booty or plunder.
verb (used without object)
5.
to seize and devour prey, as an animal does (usually followed by on or upon ): Foxes prey on rabbits.
6.
to make raids or attacks for booty or plunder: The Vikings preyed on coastal settlements.
7.
to exert a harmful or destructive influence: His worries preyed upon his mind.
8.
to victimize another or others (usually followed by on or upon ): loan sharks that prey upon the poor.
00:10
Prey
is one of our favorite verbs.
So is lollygag. Does it mean:
| to spend time idly; loaf. |
| to introduce subtleties into or argue subtly about. |
Origin:
1200–50; Middle English preye < Old French < Latin praeda booty, prey; akin to prehendere to grasp, seize (see prehension)
1200–50; Middle English preye < Old French < Latin praeda booty, prey; akin to prehendere to grasp, seize (see prehension)
Related forms
prey·er, noun
un·prey·ing, adjective
Synonyms
2. dupe, target.
2. dupe, target.
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 prey
Collins
World English Dictionary
prey (preɪ) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —n | |
| 1. | an animal hunted or captured by another for food |
| 2. | a person or thing that becomes the victim of a hostile person, influence, etc |
| 3. | beast of prey an animal that preys on others for food |
| 4. | bird of prey a bird that preys on others for food |
| 5. | an archaic word for booty |
| —vb | |
| 6. | to hunt or seize food by killing other animals |
| 7. | to make a victim (of others), as by profiting at their expense |
| 8. | to exert a depressing or obsessive effect (on the mind, spirits, etc); weigh heavily (upon) |
| [C13: from Old French preie, from Latin praeda booty; see | |
| 'preyer | |
| —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
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
prey
mid-13c., "animal hunted for food," from O.Fr. preie "booty, animal taken in the chase" (1140), from L. præda "booty, plunder, game hunted," earlier præheda, related to prehendere "to grasp, seize" (see prehensile). The verb meaning "to plunder, pillage, ravage"
is attested from late 13c., from O.Fr. preer, earlier preder (c.1040), from L.L. prædare. Its sense of "to kill and devour" is attested from mid-14c.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Cite This Source
Example sentences
The slow-moving creature never chases his prey but only edges towards it.
If the herd falls apart then their chance of survival is dim and they are easy prey for their predators.
No, a gentle giant, a placid consumer of tiny prey that spends a lot of time basking at the surface.
It's a fairly common practice to help certain endangered species in the wild by providing them with extra food or prey.
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