Word forms: 3rd person singular present tense preys, present participle preying, past tense, past participle preyed
1N-UNCOUNT-COLL [with singular or plural verb, usually with poss]獵物;捕食對象 A creature's prey are the creatures that it hunts and eats in order to live. 獵物;捕食對象
Electric rays stun their prey with huge electrical discharges.
3VERB 捕食;以捕獵…爲生 A creature that preys on other creatures lives by catching and eating them. 捕食;以捕獵…爲生
The effect was to disrupt the food chain, starving many animals and those that preyed on them. [VERBon/upon noun]
其結果就是破壞食物鏈,使很多動物和那些以捕食它們爲生的動物餓死。
The larvae prey upon small aphids. [VERB + on/upon]
這種幼蟲以小蚜蟲爲食。
4N-UNCOUNT [usually with poss]傷害的對象;愚弄的對象;欺騙的對象 You can refer to the people who someone tries to harm or trick as their prey . 傷害的對象;愚弄的對象;欺騙的對象
Police officers lie in wait for the gangs who stalk their prey at night.
警察設伏等待那些在晚上跟蹤目標伺機作案的歹徒。
This burglar thought old people are easy prey.
這個夜賊覺得老人容易下手。
5VERB 欺淩,坑害(尤指弱者) If someone preys on other people, especially people who are unable to protect themselves, they take advantage of them or harm them in some way. 欺淩,坑害(尤指弱者) [disapproval]
Pam had never learned that there were men who preyed on young runaways. [VERBon noun]
帕姆從來不知道有人專門坑騙離家出走的年輕人。
The survey claims loan companies prey on weak families already in debt. [VERB + on]
這項調查聲稱信貸公司專對那些已經負債的弱勢家庭下手。
6VERB 不斷困擾;折磨;使耿耿於懷 If something preys on your mind, you cannot stop thinking and worrying about it. 不斷困擾;折磨;使耿耿於懷
The absence of children at Christmas preyed on Liz's mind. [VERBon noun]
利茲因爲聖誕節時孩子們不在而一直心神不甯。
He had been unwise and it preyed on his conscience. [VERB + on]
他做得不太明智,這一直讓他良心不安。
7N-UNCOUNT [also aN, Nto n]受影響;受折磨;受害 If someone is prey to something bad, they have a tendency to let themselves be affected by it. 受影響;受折磨;受害
He was prey to a growing despair.
他被與日俱增的絕望折磨着。
You were both a prey to compulsions.
你倆都太沖動了。
8PHRASE [VERB inflects]受…控制;成爲…的犧牲品;受…的影響 To fall prey to something bad means to be taken over or affected by it. 受…控制;成爲…的犧牲品;受…的影響
On the flight from Paris to Toulon, Mechiche fell prey to panic.
在從巴黎飛往土倫的航班上,梅希什驚慌失措。
Children in evacuation centres are falling prey to disease.
ADJECTIVE | VERB + PREY | PREPOSITION | PHRASESADJECTIVE➤easy容易被矇騙的人◇Teenagers are easy prey for unscrupulous drug dealers.青少年很容易被不擇手段的毒品販子矇騙。➤helpless, unsuspecting無助的/毫無戒心的獵物◇They watched a hawk swoop down on its unsuspecting prey.他們看到一隻鷹向毫無戒備的獵物猛撲過去。VERB + PREY➤chase, circle, hunt for, look for, pursue, stalk追趕獵物;搜尋獵物;跟蹤獵物➤spot發現獵物▸➤capture, pounce on捕獲/猛撲向獵物◇a cat pouncing on its prey猛撲向獵物的貓➤devour, kill吞食/殺死獵物PREPOSITION➤prey for⋯的獵物◇The young deer are ideal prey for the leopard.小鹿是豹的理想獵物。➤prey to (figurative) ⋯的犧牲品◇She was prey to all kinds of conflicting emotions.她受着各種矛盾情感的折磨。PHRASES➤a beast of prey, a bird of prey猛獸/猛禽▸➤be prey to sth, fall prey to sth (bothfigurative) 是⋯的犧牲品;成為⋯的犧牲品◇The new government has fallen prey to corruption and fraud.新一屆政府深受腐敗與欺詐之苦。