[prey] n, pl prey also preys [ME preie, fr. OF, fr. L praeda; akin to L prehendere to grasp, seize--more at get] (13c) 1 archaic: spoil, booty
2. a: an animal taken by a predator as food b: one that is helpless or unable to resist attack: victim "was ~ to his own appetites"
3: the act or habit of preying
[2]prey vi preyed ; prey.ing [ME, fr. OF preier, fr. L praedari, fr. praeda] (14c) 1: to make raids for the sake of booty
2. a: to seize and devour prey b: to commit violence or robbery or fraud
3: to have an injurious, destructive, or wasting effect -- prey.er n