prey
[noun]
Synonyms:
- quarry, game, kill
- victim, dupe, fall guy (informal), mug (Brit. slang), target

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

I. prey¹ /preɪ/ noun
[Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: preie, from Latin praeda 'something seized']

1. [singular, uncountable] an animal, bird etc that is hunted and eaten by another animal Antonym : predator:
a tiger stalking its prey

2. bird/beast of prey a bird or animal which lives by killing and eating other animals

3. be/fall prey to somebody/something if someone falls prey to someone or something bad, they are harmed or affected by them:
Street children in this part of the world often fall prey to drug dealers.
They are prey to nameless fears.

4. easy prey
a) someone who can easily be deceived or harmed:
He was easy prey for the two conmen who called at his house.
b) an animal which is easily caught by another:
Fish at the surface of the water are easy prey for eagles.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

II. prey² verb
prey on somebody/something phrasal verb

1. if an animal or bird preys on another animal or bird, it hunts and eats it ⇒ predator:
Cats prey on birds and mice.

2. to try to deceive or harm weaker people:
religious cults that specialize in preying on young people

3. prey on sb’s mind to make someone worry continuously:
The accident has been preying on my mind all week.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

prey
noun
ADJ. easy Teenagers are easy prey for unscrupulous drug dealers.
ideal
VERB + PREY chase, hunt for, look for, pursue, stalk | capture, pounce on a cat pouncing on its prey
kill
PREP. ~ for The young deer are ideal prey for the leopard.
~ to (figurative) She was prey to all kinds of conflicting emotions.
PHRASES a beast/bird of prey, be/fall prey to sth (figurative) The new government has fallen prey to corruption and fraud.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲