prey definition |Dictionary.com

prey

6 dictionary results for: prey

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

prey

[prey] Pronunciation Key

–noun

1.	an animal hunted or seized for food, esp. 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 fol. 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 fol. by on or upon): loan sharks that prey upon the poor.

[Origin: 1200–50; ME preye < OF < L praeda booty, prey; akin to prehendere to grasp, seize (see prehension)

]

—Related forms

preyer, noun

—Synonyms 2. dupe, target.

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

prey (prā) Pronunciation Key
n.

An animal hunted or caught for food; quarry.
One that is defenseless, especially in the face of attack; a victim.
The act or practice of preying.

intr.v. preyed, prey·ing, preys

To hunt, catch, or eat as prey: Owls prey on mice.
To victimize or make a profit at someone else's expense.
To plunder or pillage.
To exert a baneful or injurious effect: Remorse preyed on his mind.

[Middle English preie, from Old French, from Latin praeda, booty, prey; see ghend- in Indo-European roots.]

prey'er n.

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Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
prey (n.)

1240, "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 1297, from O.Fr. preer, earlier preder (c.1040), from L.L. prædare. Its sense of "to kill and devour" is attested from c.1340.

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WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

prey
noun
1.	a person who is the aim of an attack (especially a victim of ridicule or exploitation) by some hostile person or influence; "he fell prey to muggers"; "everyone was fair game"; "the target of a manhunt"
2.	animal hunted or caught for food
verb
1.	profit from in an exploitatory manner; "He feeds on her insecurity"
2.	prey on or hunt for; "These mammals predate certain eggs" [syn: raven]

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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Prey

Prey\, n. [OF. preie, F. proie, L. praeda, probably for praeheda. See Prehensile, and cf. Depredate, Predatory.] Anything, as goods, etc., taken or got by violence; anything taken by force from an enemy in war; spoil; booty; plunder.

And they brought the captives, and the prey, and the spoil, unto Moses, and Eleazar the priest. --Num. xxxi. 12.

2. That which is or may be seized by animals or birds to be devoured; hence, a person given up as a victim.

The old lion perisheth for lack of prey. --Job iv. ii.

Already sees herself the monster's prey. --Dryden.

3. The act of devouring other creatures; ravage.

Hog in sloth, fox in stealth, . . . lion in prey. --Shak.

Beast of prey, a carnivorous animal; one that feeds on the flesh of other animals.

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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Prey

Prey\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Preyed; p. pr. & vb. n. Preying.] [OF. preier, preer, L. praedari, fr. praeda. See Prey, n.] To take booty; to gather spoil; to ravage; to take food by violence.

More pity that the eagle should be mewed, While kites and buzzards prey at liberty. --Shak.

To prey on or upon. (a) To take prey from; to despoil; to pillage; to rob. --Shak. (b) To seize as prey; to take for food by violence; to seize and devour. --Shak. (c) To wear away gradually; to cause to waste or pine away; as, the trouble preyed upon his mind. --Addison.

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