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preymore about prey

prey


  3  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  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. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  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. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  prey 
  n  1:  a  person  who  is  the  victim  of  ridicule  or  exploitation  by 
  some  hostile  person  or  influence;  "he  fell  prey  to 
  muggers";  "everyone  was  fair  game"  [syn:  {quarry},  {target}, 
  {fair  game}] 
  2:  animal  hunted  or  caught  for  food  [syn:  {quarry}] 
  v  1:  profit  from  in  an  exploitatory  manner;  "He  feeds  on  her 
  insecurity"  [syn:  {feed}] 
  2:  prey  on  or  hunt  for  [syn:  {raven}] 




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