'Prey' definitions:
Definition of 'prey'
From: WordNet
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" [syn: prey, quarry, target, fair game]
noun
Animal hunted or caught for food [syn: prey, quarry]
verb
Profit from in an exploitatory manner; "He feeds on her insecurity" [syn: prey, feed]
verb
Definition of 'Prey'
From: GCIDE
- 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. [1913 Webster]
- More pity that the eagle should be mewed, While kites and buzzards prey at liberty. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
- To prey on or To prey 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. [1913 Webster]
Definition of 'Prey'
From: GCIDE
- 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. [1913 Webster]
- And they brought the captives, and the prey, and the spoil, unto Moses, and Eleazar the priest. --Num. xxxi. 12. [1913 Webster]
- 2. That which is or may be seized by animals or birds to be devoured; hence, a person given up as a victim. [1913 Webster]
- The old lion perisheth for lack of prey. --Job iv. ii. [1913 Webster]
- Already sees herself the monster's prey. --Dryden. [1913 Webster]
- 3. The act of devouring other creatures; ravage. [1913 Webster]
- Hog in sloth, fox in stealth, . . . lion in prey. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
- Beast of prey, a carnivorous animal; one that feeds on the flesh of other animals. [1913 Webster]
Synonyms of 'prey'
From: Moby Thesaurus
- aim,
- bamboozle,
- beasts of venery,
- big game,
- bully,
- burden,
- butt,
- by-end,
- by-purpose,
- casualty,
- chase,
- cheat,
- consume,
- cozen,
- defraud,
- depress,
- destination,
- destroy,
- devour,
- distress,
- dupe,
- eat,
- end,
- end in view,
- exploit,
- fall guy,
- feed on,
- final cause,
- flimflam,
- game,
- go after,
- goal,
- gull,
- hoodwink,
- hunt,
- intimidate,
- kill,
- mark,
- martyr,
- mug,
- object,
- object in mind,
- object of compassion,
- objective,
- oppress,
- outfox,
- outsmart,
- outwit,
- poor devil,
- prey on,
- pursue,
- pursuit,
- pushover,
- quarry,
- quintain,
- reason for being,
- rook,
- seize,
- snooker,
- stalk,
- strain,
- sufferer,
- swindle,
- take advantage of,
- target,
- teleology,
- the hunted,
- trick,
- ultimate aim,
- underdog,
- use,
- venery,
- vex,
- victim,
- victimize,
- weigh on,
- weigh upon,
- worry,
- wretch