Prey (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p.Preyed (?); p. pr. & vb. n.Preying.] [OF. preier, preer, L. praedari, fr. praeda. See Prey, n.] To take booty; to gather spoil; to ravage; to take food by violence.
More pity that the eagle should be mewed,
While kites and buzzards prey at liberty. Shak.
To prey onorupon. (a) To take prey from; to despoil; to pillage; to rob. Shak. (b) To seize as prey; to take for food by violence; to seize and devour. Shak. (c) To wear away gradually; to cause to waste or pine away; as, the trouble preyed upon his mind. Addison.