| 释义 |
prey /preɪ  /noun [mass noun]1An animal that is hunted and killed by another for food: the kestrel pounced on its prey...- Rodents are prey for avian, reptilian, and mammalian predators.
- The enzymes and toxins in scorpion venom are used by the arachnid to paralyse its prey and digest its food.
- The calving lures many animals of prey, including lions and spotted hyena.
Synonyms 1.1A person who is easily deceived or harmed: he was easy prey for the two con men...- That the enemy had not singled Winfred out to be easy prey was nothing short of pure fortune, especially with the battle still raging before his eyes.
- A lot of youth are illiterate and unemployed and easy prey.
- In this hot, desert-like mountain landscape I too would be easy prey.
Synonyms victim, target, dupe, fool, innocent, gull informal sucker, soft/easy touch, pushover, chump British informal muggins, charlie North American informal patsy, sap, schlemiel, pigeon, mark Australian/New Zealand informal dill British informal, dated juggins 2 archaic Plunder or (in biblical use) a prize. verb [no object] ( prey on/upon) 1Hunt and kill for food: small birds that prey on insect pests...- As much as I am appalled at what cats do to defenceless animals, I could never be cruel to them, even when they invade my garden to prey on the birds that drop in for food and water.
- Lacewings are beneficial insects which prey on bugs that damage food crops.
- Considered pests that prey on pets and livestock, the eagles have been hunted down by residents.
Synonyms hunt, catch, seize; eat, devour, feed on, live on, live off 1.1Take advantage of or harm: this is a mean type of theft by ruthless people preying on the elderly...- Ruthless thieves are preying on the elderly outside charity and discount shops in Swindon.
- Cruel doorstep cheats who prey on elderly people claim the number one spot on a damning ‘top five’ list of the worst swindlers, conmen and thieves.
- Gardaí believe he was one of the leaders of a group of Traveller families who prey on elderly people living alone in remote, rural parts of the west of Ireland.
Synonyms exploit, victimize, molest, pick on, intimidate, harass, hound, take advantage of; trick, swindle, cheat, hoodwink, fleece; attack, terrorize; blackmail, bleed informal con 1.2Cause constant distress to: the problem had begun to prey on my mind...- As he grew up he refused to allow the horrific accident to prey on his mind and despite his disability he was able to do well at primary and elementary school.
- When I'm between jobs, the issue of money tends to prey on my mind.
- After the couple's return from the holiday isle, one thing continued to prey on their mind.
Synonyms oppress, weigh on, weigh heavily on, lie heavy on, burden, be a burden on/to, hang over, gnaw at; trouble, worry, beset, disturb, depress, distress, haunt, nag, torment, plague, obsess, take over, take control of Phrases fall prey to (also be or become prey to) Derivativespreyer noun ...- The great horned owl is the only reliable preyer upon skunks.
- The man-dog is preyer; the rabbit is prey.
OriginMiddle English (also denoting plunder taken in war): the noun from Old French preie, from Latin praeda 'booty', the verb from Old French preier, based on Latin praedari 'seize as plunder', from praeda. prison from Old English: This comes via Old French from Latin prehendere ‘to seize’. Prehendere is a rich source of English words, being found, amongst many, in apprehend (late 16th century), comprehend (late 16th century); prehensile (late 18th century); and reprehensible (Late Middle English). A shortening of prehendere lies behind praedari ‘plunder’ and praeda ‘booty’, which lie behind depredation (Late Middle English); predatory [L16]; and prey (Middle English).
Rhymesaffray, 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, Gaye, Genet, giclee, 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, 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 |