foray

[ fawr-ey, for-ey ]
See synonyms for foray on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. a quick raid, usually for the purpose of taking plunder: Vikings made a foray on the port.

  2. a quick, sudden attack: The defenders made a foray outside the walls.

  1. an initial venture: a successful foray into politics.

verb (used without object)
  1. to make a raid; pillage; maraud.

  2. to invade or make one's way, as for profit or adventure: foreign industries foraying into U.S. markets.

verb (used with object)
  1. to ravage in search of plunder; pillage.

Origin of foray

1
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English forraien, apparently by back formation from forrayour, forreour, forrier, from Old French forrier, fourrier, equivalent to fo(u)rr(er), derivative of fuerre “provender” (see forage) + -ier -ier2

Other words for foray

Other words from foray

  • for·ay·er, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use foray in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for foray

foray

/ (ˈfɒreɪ) /


noun
  1. a short raid or incursion

  2. a first attempt or new undertaking

verb
  1. to raid or ravage (a town, district, etc)

Origin of foray

1
C14: from forrayen to pillage, from Old French forreier, from forrier forager, from fuerre fodder; see forage

Derived forms of foray

  • forayer, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012