foray
[fawr-ey, for-ey]
- a quick raid, usually for the purpose of taking plunder: Vikings made a foray on the port.
- a quick, sudden attack: The defenders made a foray outside the walls.
- an initial venture: a successful foray into politics.
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- to make a raid; pillage; maraud.
- to invade or make one's way, as for profit or adventure: foreign industries foraying into U.S. markets.
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- to ravage in search of plunder; pillage.
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Origin of foray
Synonyms
See more synonyms for foray on Thesaurus.com1. attack, assault, invasion, incursion, sortie.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for foray
Contemporary Examples
But Jeff, who began his foray into pot gastronomy as a hobby, is rapidly turning it into a full-time pot-repreneurial business.
He claims his foray with smack was explicitly for research and meant to be short-term, but he became addicted.
So far, Ready for Hillary's foray into off-year elections is mixed.
Hourani credits Grumbach for his foray into the haute couture world, first asking him to become an invited member of the Chambre.
This is the publication's first foray into eCommerce after launching a shopable holiday gift guide last year.
Is Emilia Jardine-Paterson Kate Middleton’s Secret Stylist?; The Wall Street Journal Launches Online Shopping PlatformThe Fashion Beast Team
November 5, 2013
Historical Examples
Nor did such office of leader outlast a foray or a campaign.
Life of SchamylJohn Milton Mackie
The foray was a crazy idea, and Shann wondered again why he had agreed to it.
Storm Over WarlockAndre Norton
The season of the foray had opened and flocks must be guarded by day and night.
Border Ghost StoriesHoward Pease
He would not go to foray, after the fashion of outlaws, and there was no need of this.
Eric BrighteyesH. Rider Haggard
He determined, therefore, on every account, to make a foray into Macedon.
PyrrhusJacob Abbott
foray
- a short raid or incursion
- a first attempt or new undertaking
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- to raid or ravage (a town, district, etc)
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Word Origin
C14: from forrayen to pillage, from Old French forreier, from forrier forager, from fuerre fodder; see forage
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
Word Origin and History for foray
n.
late 14c., Scottish, from the verb (14c.), perhaps a back-formation of Middle English forreyer "raider, forager" (mid-14c.), from Old French forrier, from forrer "to forage" (see forage (n.)). Disused by 18c.; revived by Scott.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper