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n. 1. a. An animal hunted or caught by another for food: The leopard carried its prey into a tree. b. The collection of animals typically hunted and eaten by a predator: the acoustic location of prey by barn owls. 2. a. An object or victim of attack: ships that became the prey of pirates. b. One that is subjected to or afflicted with something: was prey to depression. c. One that is deceived or taken advantage of by another: easy prey for swindlers. 3. Archaic a. The act or practice of preying. b. Plunder; booty. intr.v. preyed, prey·ing, preys 1. To hunt, catch, or eat as prey: Owls prey on mice. 2. To victimize or make a profit at someone else's expense: swindlers who prey upon the weak. 3. To plunder or pillage: Vikings preying on coastal settlements. 4. To exert a baneful or injurious effect: Remorse preyed on his mind. [Middle English preie, from Old French, from Latin praeda, booty, prey; see ghend- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] preyer n. |
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