| 单词 | to prey upon |
| 释义 | > as lemmasto prey upon 2. to prey on, to prey upon. extracted from preyv. a. intransitive. Of an animal: to seize, kill, or hunt habitually as prey. Also in extended use. Also †to prey of. ΘΚΠ the world > animals > by eating habits > [verb (transitive)] > prey on devourc1315 to prey ona1500 raven1530 depredate1651 predate1941 the world > food and drink > hunting > hunt [verb (transitive)] > hunt (of animal) to prey ona1500 the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > deceit, deception, trickery > snare, trap, entanglement > entrap, ensnare [verb (transitive)] shrenchc897 beswike971 betrapa1000 bewindOE undernimc1175 undertakec1175 bisayc1200 beguile?c1225 catchc1225 beginc1250 biwilea1275 tele?a1300 enginec1300 lime13.. umwrithea1340 engrin1340 oblige1340 belimec1350 enlacec1374 girnc1375 encumber138. gnarec1380 enwrap1382 briguea1387 snarl1387 upbroid1387 trap1390 entrikea1393 englue1393 gildera1400 aguilec1400 betraisec1400 embrygec1400 snare1401 lacea1425 maska1425 begluec1430 marl1440 supprise?c1450 to prey ona1500 attrap1524 circumvene1526 entangle1526 tangle1526 entrap1531 mesh1532 embrake1542 crawl1548 illaqueate1548 intricate1548 inveigle1551 circumvent1553 felter1567 besnare1571 in trick1572 ensnare1576 overcatch1577 underfong1579 salt1580 entoil1581 comprehend1584 windlassa1586 folda1592 solicit1592 toil1592 bait1600 beset1600 engage1603 benet1604 imbrier1605 ambush1611 inknot1611 enmesha1616 trammela1616 fool1620 pinion1621 aucupate1630 fang1637 surprise1642 underreacha1652 trepan1656 ensnarl1658 stalk1659 irretiate1660 coil1748 nail1766 net1803 to rope in1840 mousetrap1870 spider1891 a1500 (c1340) R. Rolle Psalter (Univ. Oxf. 64) (1884) xvi. 13 The princes ware like til the leoun, that is, the deuel, redy til pray of mannys saule. 1575 G. Gascoigne Noble Arte Venerie lxvi. 185 They pray also vppon all Pullen. 1587 Sir P. Sidney & A. Golding tr. P. de Mornay Trewnesse Christian Relig. xxi. 369 He prepareth foode for the Rauens to pray vpon. a1616 W. Shakespeare As you like It (1623) iv. iii. 119 'Tis The royall disposition of that beast To prey on nothing, that doth seeme as dead. View more context for this quotation 1676 B. Keach Elegy Death John Norcot (single sheet) Have we not cause to think the crafty Fox, Will out abroad and prey upon the flocks. 1726 N. Amhurst Terræ-filius (ed. 2) xl. 211 Such nurseries of drones and caterpillars, to prey upon it. 1782 J. H. St. J. de Crèvecoeur Lett. from Amer. Farmer xii. 283 The lions of Africa..would no doubt kill us in order to prey upon our carcasses. 1841 R. W. Emerson Man the Reformer in Dial Apr. 529 Every species of property is preyed on by its own enemies, as iron by rust, timber by rot. 1884 H. B. Tristram Fauna & Flora Palestine 73 The Rose-coloured Pastor is well known to the natives as the Locust Bird, from its habit of preying on that pest. 1957 A. C. Clarke Deep Range i. i. 12 He was also David..alert for the mountain lions that would prey upon his father's sheep. 1976 Amer. Naturalist 110 1105 These baby dinosaurs easily could have been preyed upon by large lizards. 2001 National Geographic Oct. 41 (caption) Asian wild dogs..prey on large game such as this sambar deer. b. intransitive. To plunder or pillage; to rob or raid, to target for robberies. Also †to prey over. Now passing into sense 2c. ΘΚΠ the mind > possession > taking > stealing or theft > robbery > spoliation or depredation > despoil or prey upon [verb (transitive)] reaveOE stripa1225 pill?c1225 robc1225 peela1250 despoil1297 raimc1300 spoilc1330 spoila1340 to pull a finch (also pigeon, plover, etc.)c1387 despoil1393 preya1400 spoila1400 spulyiea1400 unspoila1400 riflec1400 poll1490 to pill and poll1528 to poll and pill1528 exspoila1530 pilyie1539 devour?1542 plume1571 rive1572 bepill1574 fleece1575 to prey over1576 pread1577 disvaledge1598 despoliate1607 to make spoil of1613 expilate1624 to peel and poll1641 depredate1651 violatea1657 disvalise1672 to pick feathers off (a person)1677 to make stroy of1682 spoliate1699 pilfer1714 snabble1725 rump1815 vampire1832 sweat1847 ploat1855 vampirize1888 1576 A. Fleming tr. C. Matius in Panoplie Epist. 115 Either to aske that which was another mans right, or else to pray vpon that which was none of their owne. 1634 T. Herbert Relation Some Yeares Trauaile 71 He gaue..treasure there, to the Ianizaries and Spaheis to prey ouer. a1680 J. Glanvill Serm. (1681) iv. 212 No mans Life or property will be safe; mankind would worry and prey upon one another. 1759 S. Johnson Prince of Abissinia I. ii. 10 Regions of calamity, where discord was always raging, and where man preyed upon man. 1843 T. B. Macaulay Ld. Clive in Crit. & Hist. Ess. III. 120 Ferocious invaders descended through the western passes, to prey on the defenceless wealth of Hindostan. 1872 J. Yeats Growth Commerce 264 The buccaneers preying upon Spanish commerce were masters of the smaller W. India Islands. 1926 J. Black You can't Win ix. 111 He..made his living serving as ‘target’ or outside man, for the yegg mobs that preyed on country banks. 1964 R. Silverberg Great Adv. Archaeol. v. 163 Deprived of their bakshish, the Arabs preyed on the archaeologists. 1994 N.Y. Times 27 Nov. v. 13/5 Bandits continued to prey upon trains in these mountains from time to time. c. intransitive. To take advantage of; to exploit; to make (esp. a class of person) the victim of a particular crime, swindle, etc. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > harm or detriment > disadvantage > uselessness > misuse > [verb (transitive)] > exploit or take advantage of > specifically a person to prey upon1610 impose1667 picaroon1681 live1712 to twirl (a person) round one's finger1748 to get over ——1784 exploit1838 to play (it) low down (on)1864 to avail upona1871 pole1906 to put on1958 1610 S. Rid Martin Mark-all 14 Brokers I meane and Vsurers, that like vultures prey vpon the simple. 1692 J. Locke Some Considerations Lowering Interest 102 That..the dextrous and combining Money jobbers not have too great and unbounded a Power, to Prey upon..Ignorance or Necessity. 1713 R. Steele in Guardian 4 June 1/1 The Sharks, who prey upon the Inadvertency of young Heirs. 1792 M. Wollstonecraft Vindic. Rights Woman xiii. 419 A vicious worldling, who pampers his appetites by preying on the foolish ones. 1861 G. H. Lewes Let. 20 Aug. in ‘G. Eliot’ Lett. (1954) III. 446 She allows herself to be preyed upon dreadfully by the boys—she can't say No. 1882 Sydney Slang Dict. 7/2 School, company of gamblers, mob of sharpers, and those who prey on the public. 1938 Ann. Reg. 1937 74 Those who, in the guise of ‘outside brokers,’ sought to prey upon their credulity. 1989 Philadelphia Inquirer 17 Dec. a19/1 Fears that a serial killer may be preying on the city's prostitutes haven't kept them from working. 2003 A. N. LeBlanc Random Family iv. 39 If the other fellas see you crying..that's gonna be one sign of weakness that they are going to prey on forever and a day. d. intransitive. To exert a harmful or destructive influence over; to wear down gradually, eat away at. Chiefly in to prey on (also upon) one's mind: to unsettle or worry one continually. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > harm or detriment > cause or effect (harm) [verb (transitive)] > do harm or injury to > exert harmful influence upon > gradually tire1558 to prey on1666 1666 S. Parker Free & Impartial Censure Platonick Philosophie 27 Zeal is a fire in the Soul, which unless qualified and slaked by meekness and a calm-nature, doth..prey upon the mind. 1713 J. Addison Cato iii. ii Language is too faint to show His rage of love; it preys upon his life. 1768 Adv. Miss Beverley I. 223 His Face..was lengthened and disfigured by the Chagrin which constantly preyed on his mind. 1798 M. Wollstonecraft Maria I. i. 18 Preyed on by the gnawing worm of discontent, with what eagerness did she endeavour to shorten the long days. 1833 W. Wordsworth Composed by Sea-shore 3 How baffled projects on the spirit prey. 1885 Law Times 7 Feb. 270/2 His health was bad, and this had no doubt preyed very much upon his mind. 1894 ‘M. Twain’ Pudd'nhead Wilson xvi. 219 The villiany [sic] which he had played upon his trusting mother preyed upon his rag of conscience. 1934 Punch 17 Jan. 74/1 Simpson, who lives opposite, says it [sc. the house] was preying on his mind. 1955 E. Bowen World of Love vi. 107 Suspicion..preyed on Antonia. 2000 Independent 19 Apr. 11/6 Whether it was the comment that preyed on his mind or the fact that he had been on report..I cannot say. < as lemmas |
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