Synonyms Examples Word Origin
See more synonyms for prey on Thesaurus.com 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.; gull. the action or habit of preying: a beast of prey. Archaic booty or plunder. Show More
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 the poor. Show More
Origin of prey 1200–50; Middle English preye <
Old French <
Latin praeda booty, prey; akin to
prehendere to grasp, seize (see
prehension )
Related forms prey·er , noun un·prey·ing , adjective Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Related Words for preyed devastate ,
pillage ,
rob ,
liberate ,
requisition ,
loot ,
salvage ,
ransack ,
demolish ,
consume ,
wreck ,
overwhelm ,
raze ,
ruin ,
shatter ,
damage ,
impair ,
plunder ,
gut ,
disrupt Examples from the Web for preyed Contemporary Examples of preyed He also says that Vannoni preyed on those who had lost hope, because they had “less to lose.”
As charming as he was ruthless and fueled by sectarian hate, Mehsud preyed on military forces and civilians alike.
The film is about a very young aspiring actress who is preyed on by a much older, established star.
In the story, she was christened “The Hipster Grifter,” because she preyed upon skinny-jeaned Williamsburg sorts.
Historical Examples of preyed All this preyed on my mind, though, and I used to cry all night.
Knowing this, they are preyed upon by thousands of foreign swindlers.
His face was dark with all the passions which had preyed upon the man.
She wept bitterly, and took it to heart so, it preyed on her health and spirits.
In Europe it is preyed upon by minute ichneumon flies (Chalcids).
British Dictionary definitions for preyed 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 prey an animal that preys on others for food bird of prey a bird that preys on others for food an archaic word for booty 1 Show More
verb (intr; often foll by on or upon) 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) Show More
Derived Forms preyer , noun Word Origin for prey C13: from Old French preie, from Latin praeda booty; see predatory
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for preyed n. mid-13c., "animal hunted for food," also "that which is taken in war," from Old French preie "booty, animal taken in the chase" (mid-12c., Modern French proie ), from Latin praeda "booty, plunder, game hunted," earlier praeheda , related to prehendere "to grasp, seize" (see prehensile ).
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v. c.1300, "to plunder, pillage, ravage," from prey (n.) and in part from Old French preer , earlier preder (c.1040), from Late Latin praedare , from praeda (see prey (n.)). Its sense of "to kill and devour" is attested from mid-14c. Related: Preyed ; preying .
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
