prey
When used as a verb, 'prey' is almost always followed by the preposition 'on'. For example: 'The cat preys on mice.' Be careful not to confuse 'prey' with 'pray'. While they sound exactly the same, 'pray' refers to religious communication or making a heartfelt wish.
💬Casual Conversation
🎬Tuesday afternoon; Chloe is in a lecture hall, Eleanor is at home tending to her garden.
Eleanor Smith
THE CAT IS STALKING A BIRD. HE THINKS HE HAS FOUND SOME PREY.
Chloe Smith
lmao he's literally just a fluffball. poor bird is cooked.
💡
Eleanor uses formal, slightly dramatic language (all caps due to her tech illiteracy) to describe the cat's hunting instinct. Chloe responds with Gen-Z slang ('lmao', 'cooked'), where 'cooked' means the bird is in a hopeless situation/doomed.
Meanings
noun
An animal that is hunted and killed by another for food.
"The hawk circled the field, searching for its prey."
noun
A person who is easily deceived or exploited.
"Con artists often seek out vulnerable people as easy prey."
verb (intransitive)
To dwell on or be oppressed by a particular thought or feeling, typically negative.
"He continued to prey on his past mistakes for years."