Learner's definition of PREY
[noncount]
1
: an animal that is hunted or killed by another animal for food猎物 -
The lion stalked its prey.狮子偷偷接近猎物。
-
The bird circled above looking for prey.鸟在空中盘旋寻找猎物。
-
The seals are easy prey for sharks.海豹很容易被鲨鱼捕食。
— see also bird of prey 2
: someone who is easily harmed or affected in a bad way by someone or something : victim受害者
be/fall prey to
1
: to be killed by (an animal, disease, etc.)成为猎物;成为受害者;被夺去生命 2
: to be harmed or affected in a bad way by (someone or something)受到伤害;受到不好影响 -
After the accident, she was prey to all kinds of anxieties.事故发生后,她被各种焦虑困扰。
-
Some of his friends fell prey to drugs.他的几个朋友为毒品所害。
-
She fell prey to an online scam.她受网络诈骗之害。
2 prey /ˈpreɪ/ verb
preys; preyed; preying
preys; preyed; preying
Learner's definition of PREY
prey on/upon
[phrasal verb] 1
prey on/upon (something) : to hunt and kill (something) for food捕食 2
prey on/upon (someone) : to hurt, cheat, or steal from (someone)伤害;欺骗;偷盗 3
prey on/upon someone's mind : to make someone worry : to be constantly on someone's mind萦绕在某人心头;使某人苦恼;折磨某人 -
Her growing debts preyed on her mind. [=she worried about her growing debts]不断增长的债务让她忧心忡忡。
-
The thought that he could have done better preyed on his mind.原本可以做得更好的想法一直折磨着他。
-
a question that preys on the minds of many of us困扰我们很多人的问题