prey

[ prey ]

/ preɪ /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR prey ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

an animal hunted or seized for food, especially by a carnivorous animal.

a person or thing that is the victim of an enemy, a swindler, a disease, etc.; gull.

the action or habit of preying: a beast of prey.

Archaic. booty or plunder.

verb (used without object)

to seize and devour prey, as an animal does (usually followed by on or upon): Foxes prey on rabbits.

to make raids or attacks for booty or plunder: The Vikings preyed on coastal settlements.

to exert a harmful or destructive influence: His worries preyed upon his mind.

to victimize another or others (usually followed by on or upon): loan sharks that prey upon the poor.

Origin of prey

1200–50; Middle English preye < Old French < Latin praeda booty, prey; akin to prehendere to grasp, seize (see prehension)

SYNONYMS FOR prey

2 dupe, target.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR prey ON THESAURUS.COM

OTHER WORDS FROM prey

prey·er, noun un·prey·ing, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH prey

pray prayer prey

Words nearby prey

prewash, prewashed, preworn, prewriting, prexy, prey, prey on, prez, prezzie, prf, prf.

Example sentences from the Web for prey

And they prey on those that society will be least likely to believe.

How I Stopped My Rapist |Natasha Alexenko |November 24, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
As he relishes his triumph, a larger, grinning version of the man materializes in the background, eyeing his prey.

‘Interstellar’ Is Wildly Ambitious, Very Flawed, and Absolutely Worth Seeing |Marlow Stern |November 7, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
When it comes to protecting birds of prey, Illinois state law can be an ass.

He Faces Jail for Rescuing Baby Eagles |Michael Daly |November 2, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Yes, Levine plays the role of a stalker and Prinsloo that of his “prey,” but she never comes across as a victim.

Sex, Blood and Maroon 5: Pop Culture’s Wounds Run Deep |Lizzie Crocker |October 3, 2014 |DAILY BEAST

Finally near sunset, he spotted his prey: a whitetail buck grazing in the thick bush.

Inside The Growing Organic Halal Movement |Sharon Adarlo |September 7, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
There was a great deal of heart-burning, and the camp was the prey of winged rumours, most of them discouraging ones.

A Prisoner in Turkey |John Still
Like the sparrowhawk, it frequently hovers in the air and drops upon its prey.

Birds and Nature Vol. 11 No. 4 [April 1902] |Various
In captivity, having no web, it actually flees before its prey, and has not the resolution to confront a fly.

The Insect |Jules Michelet
He was like a hunter following his prey, like an angler fishing, he cared only for the chase, for the capture.

Possessed |Cleveland Moffett
The serpent fixed itself in a tree by the water-side; and underneath the same tree the young crocodile watched for prey.

The World of Waters |Mrs. David Osborne

British Dictionary definitions for prey

prey

/ (preɪ) /

noun

an animal hunted or captured by another for food

a person or thing that becomes the victim of a hostile person, influence, etc

beast of prey an animal that preys on others for food

bird of prey a bird that preys on others for food

an archaic word for booty 1

verb (intr; often foll by on or upon)

to hunt or seize food by killing other animals

to make a victim (of others), as by profiting at their expense

to exert a depressing or obsessive effect (on the mind, spirits, etc); weigh heavily (upon)

Derived forms of prey

preyer, noun

Word Origin for prey

C13: from Old French preie, from Latin praeda booty; see predatory

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

prey

noun

verb (used without object)

Origin of prey

SYNONYMS FOR prey

OTHER WORDS FROM prey

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH prey

Words nearby prey

Example sentences from the Web for prey

British Dictionary definitions for prey

noun

verb (intr; often foll by on or upon)

Derived forms of prey

Word Origin for prey

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

prey

noun

verb (used without object)

Origin of prey

SYNONYMS FOR prey

OTHER WORDS FROM prey

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH prey

Words nearby prey

Words related to prey

Example sentences from the Web for prey

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []) .push({}); British Dictionary definitions for prey

noun

verb (intr; often foll by on or upon)

Derived forms of prey

Word Origin for prey

British Dictionary definitions for prey