|
Search over 100 encyclopedias and dictionaries: |
Research categories | Follow us on Twitter |
Research categories
View all topics in the newsView all reference sources at Encyclopedia.com |
|||
prey
prey / prā/ • n. an animal that is hunted and killed by another for food: the kestrel is ready to pounce on unsuspecting prey. ∎ a person or thing easily injured or taken advantage of: he was easy prey for the two con men. ∎ a person who is vulnerable to distressing emotions or beliefs: the settlers become prey to nameless fears. ∎ archaic plunder or (in biblical use) a prize. • v. [intr.] (prey on/upon) hunt and kill for food: small birds that prey on insect pests. ∎ take advantage of; exploit or injure: this is a mean type of theft by ruthless people preying on the elderly. ∎ cause constant trouble and distress to: the problem had begun to prey on my mind. PHRASES: fall prey to be hunted and killed by: small rodents fell prey to domestic cats. ∎ be vulnerable to or overcome by: he would often fall prey to melancholy. DERIVATIVES: prey·er n. |
|
|
Cite this article
"prey." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 31 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "prey." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (May 31, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-prey.html "prey." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved May 31, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-prey.html |
|
prey
prey that which is taken by violence; animal hunted or killed XIII; fig. victim XIV. ME. praie, preie — OF. preie (mod. proie):— L. præda booty, prob.:- *praiheda, f. prai, præ PRE- + *hed-, base of præhendere seize.
So prey vb. XIII. — OF. pre(i)er :- late L. prædāre, for earlier prædāri. |
|
|
Cite this article
T. F. HOAD. "prey." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 31 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. T. F. HOAD. "prey." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (May 31, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-prey.html T. F. HOAD. "prey." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved May 31, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-prey.html |
|
prey
prey An animal that is a source of food for a predator. See predation.
|
|
|
Cite this article
"prey." A Dictionary of Biology. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. 31 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "prey." A Dictionary of Biology. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. (May 31, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O6-prey.html "prey." A Dictionary of Biology. 2004. Retrieved May 31, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O6-prey.html |
|
prey
prey See predation.
|
|
|
Cite this article
MICHAEL ALLABY. "prey." A Dictionary of Ecology. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. 31 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. MICHAEL ALLABY. "prey." A Dictionary of Ecology. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. (May 31, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O14-prey.html MICHAEL ALLABY. "prey." A Dictionary of Ecology. 2004. Retrieved May 31, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O14-prey.html |
|
prey
prey See PREDATION.
|
|
|
Cite this article
MICHAEL ALLABY. "prey." A Dictionary of Plant Sciences. 1998. Encyclopedia.com. 31 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. MICHAEL ALLABY. "prey." A Dictionary of Plant Sciences. 1998. Encyclopedia.com. (May 31, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O7-prey.html MICHAEL ALLABY. "prey." A Dictionary of Plant Sciences. 1998. Retrieved May 31, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O7-prey.html |
|
prey
prey See PREDATION.
|
|
|
Cite this article
MICHAEL ALLABY. "prey." A Dictionary of Zoology. 1999. Encyclopedia.com. 31 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. MICHAEL ALLABY. "prey." A Dictionary of Zoology. 1999. Encyclopedia.com. (May 31, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O8-prey.html MICHAEL ALLABY. "prey." A Dictionary of Zoology. 1999. Retrieved May 31, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O8-prey.html |
|
prey
prey •affray, agley, aka, allay, Angers, A-OK, appellation contrôlée, array, assay, astray, au fait, auto-da-fé, away, aweigh, aye, bay, belay, betray, bey, Bombay, Bordet, boulevardier, bouquet, brae, bray, café au lait, Carné, cassoulet, Cathay, chassé, chevet, chez, chiné, clay, convey, Cray, crème brûlée, crudités, cuvée, cy-pres, day, decay, deejay, dégagé, distinguée, downplay, dray, Dufay, Dushanbe, eh, embay, engagé, essay, everyday, faraway, fay, fey, flay, fray, Frey, fromage frais, gainsay, gay, Gaye, Genet, gilet, glissé, gray, grey, halfway, hay, heigh, hey, hooray, Hubei, Hué, hurray, inveigh, jay, jeunesse dorée, José, Kay, Kaye, Klee, Kray, Lae, lay, lei, Littré, Lough Neagh, lwei, Mae, maguey, Malay, Mallarmé, Mandalay, Marseilles, may, midday, midway, mislay, misplay, Monterrey, Na-Dene, nay, né, née, neigh, Ney, noway, obey, O'Dea, okay, olé, outlay, outplay, outstay, outweigh, oyez, part-way, pay, Pei, per se, pince-nez, play, portray, pray, prey, purvey, qua, Quai d'Orsay, Rae, rangé, ray, re, reflet, relevé, roman-à-clef, Santa Fé, say, sei, Shar Pei, shay, slay, sleigh, sley, spae, spay, Spey, splay, spray, stay, straightaway, straightway, strathspey, stray, Sui, survey, sway, Taipei, Tay, they, today, tokay, Torbay, Tournai, trait, tray, trey, two-way, ukiyo-e, underlay, way, waylay, Wei, weigh, wey, Whangarei, whey, yea
|
|
|
Cite this article
"prey." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 31 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "prey." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (May 31, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-prey.html "prey." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved May 31, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-prey.html |
|
Search over 100 encyclopedias and dictionaries:
HighBeam™ Research, Inc. © Copyright 2012. All rights reserved.
The Encyclopedia.com advertising network includes:
