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 Meaning of PREY
| Pronunciation: |  | prey 
 
 |  |  WordNet Dictionary |  |  |  |  | Definition: |  | 
[n]  animal hunted or caught for food  [n]  a person who is the victim of ridicule or exploitation by some hostile person or influence; "he fell prey to muggers"; "everyone was fair game"  [v]  prey on or hunt for; "These mammals predate certain eggs"  [v]  profit from in an exploitatory manner; "He feeds on her insecurity"   |  |  |  |  | Websites: |  |  |  |  |  |  | Synonyms: |  | fair game, feed, predate, quarry, quarry, raven, target |  |  |  |  | See Also: |  | animal, animate being, beast, brute, creature, exploit, fauna, forage, victim, work |  |     |  |  Products Dictionary |  |  |  |  | Definition: |  |  PreyDescription not available.
 more details ... |  |  |  |  Webster's 1913 Dictionary |  |  |  |  | Definition: |  | 
\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.
      And they brought the captives, and the prey, and the
      spoil, unto Moses, and Eleazar the priest. --Num. xxxi.
                                               12.
2. That which is or may be seized by animals or birds to be
   devoured; hence, a person given up as a victim.
         The old lion perisheth for lack of prey. --Job iv.
                                               ii.
         Already sees herself the monster's prey. --Dryden.
3. The act of devouring other creatures; ravage.
         Hog in sloth, fox in stealth, . . . lion in prey.
                                               --Shak.
{Beast of prey}, a carnivorous animal; one that feeds on the
   flesh of other animals.
\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.
      More pity that the eagle should be mewed, While kites
      and buzzards prey at liberty.            --Shak.
{To prey on} or {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.
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