PREY

prey, quarry

(noun) animal hunted or caught for food

prey, quarry, target, fair game

(noun) 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”

raven, prey, predate

(verb) prey on or hunt for; “These mammals predate certain eggs”

prey, feed

(verb) profit from in an exploitatory manner; “He feeds on her insecurity”

Source: WordNet® 3.1

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Etymology

Noun

prey (countable and uncountable, plural preys)

(archaic) Anything, as goods, etc, taken or got by violence; anything taken by force from an enemy in war

Synonyms: spoil, booty, plunder

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

A living thing that is eaten by another living thing.

The act of devouring other creatures; ravage.

The victim of a disease.

Verb

prey (third-person singular simple present preys, present participle preying, simple past and past participle preyed)

(intransitive) To act as a predator.

Anagrams

• pyre, rype

Source: Wiktionary

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Prey, n. Etym: [OF. preie, F. proie, L. praeda, probably for praeheda. See Prehensile, and cf. Depredate, Predatory.]

Definition: 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.

Prey, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Preyed; p. pr. & vb. n. Preying.] Etym: [OF. preier, preer, L. praedari, fr. praeda. See Prey, n.]

Definition: 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.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition

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