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prey
[ prey ]
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:
a con man looking for his next prey.
Synonyms: , ,
- 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 poor people.
prey
/ ɪ /
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 preyan animal that preys on others for food
- bird of preya bird that preys on others for food
- an archaic word for booty 1
verb
- 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
- ˈ, noun
Other Word Forms
- İ noun
- ܲ·iԲ adjective
Word History and Origins
Origin of prey1
Word History and Origins
Origin of prey1
Idioms and Phrases
- fall prey (to), to be victimized, harmed, or killed: fall prey to internet scams.
chickens that fell prey to a hawk;
fall prey to internet scams.
Example Sentences
Victims said staffers were seldom disciplined for preying on vulnerable kids.
He faces sentencing enhancements alleging that he took advantage of a position of trust, preyed on particularly vulnerable victims and committed the crimes with planning and sophistication.
He seems to be a little more prey to the twisting fortunes of life.
Unlike predators that go for the throat and kill prey relatively quickly, wolves often attack from behind and rip victims apart while they’re trying to flee.
He is accused of preying on poor people who were desperate to improve their lives by selling merchandise including "miracle oil".
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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