— huntable , adj. — huntedly , adv.
/hunt/ , v.t.
1. to chase or search for (game or other wild animals) for the purpose of catching or killing.
2. to pursue with force, hostility, etc., in order to capture (often fol. by down ): They hunted him down and hanged him.
3. to search for; seek; endeavor to obtain or find (often fol. by up or out ): to hunt up the most promising candidates for the position.
4. to search (a place) thoroughly.
5. to scour (an area) in pursuit of game.
6. to use or direct (a horse, hound, etc.) in chasing game.
7. Change Ringing. to alter the place of (a bell) in a hunt.
v.i.
8. to engage in the pursuit, capture, or killing of wild animals for food or in sport.
9. to make a search or quest (often fol. by for or after ).
10. Change Ringing. to alter the place of a bell in its set according to certain rules.
n.
11. an act or practice of hunting game or other wild animals.
12. a search; a seeking or endeavor to find.
13. a pursuit.
14. a group of persons associated for the purpose of hunting; an association of hunters.
15. an area hunted over.
16. Change Ringing. a regularly varying order of permutations in the ringing of a group of from five to twelve bells.
[ bef. 1000; (v.) ME hunten, OE huntian, deriv. of hunta hunter, akin to hentan to pursue; (n.) ME, deriv. of the v. ]
Syn. 1. pursue, track.