predatory

predatory
—predatorily, adv. —predatoriness, n.
/pred"euh tawr'ee, -tohr'ee/, adj.
1. Zool. preying upon other organisms for food.
2. of, pertaining to, or characterized by plunder, pillage, robbery, or exploitation: predatory tactics.
3. engaging in or living by these activities: predatory bands of brigands.
4. excessive or exploitive in amount or cost, as out of greed or to take advantage of consumers or patrons: predatory pricing.
5. acting with or possessed by overbearing, rapacious, or selfish motives: He was cornered at the party by a predatory reporter.
[1580-90; < L praedatorius. See PREDATOR, -TORY1]
Syn. 2, 3. rapacious.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Predatory — Pred a*to*ry, a. [L. praedatorius, fr. praedari to plunder, fr. praeda prey. See {Prey}.] 1. Characterized by plundering; practicing rapine; plundering; pillaging; as, a predatory excursion; a predatory party. A predatory war. Macaulay. [1913… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • predatory — pred‧a‧to‧ry [ˈpredətri ǁ tɔːri] adjective trying to use someone s weaknesses to get an advantage: • a fiercely competitive and sometimes predatory organisation * * * predatory UK US /ˈpredətəri/ US  /ˈpredətɔri/ adjective ► used to describe a… …   Financial and business terms

  • predatory — pred·a·to·ry / pre də ˌtōr ē/ adj: inclined or intended to injure competitors by unfair means subject to antitrust liability for predatory conduct National Law Journal predatory bidding Merriam Webster’s Dictionary of Law. Merriam Webster. 1996 …   Law dictionary

  • predatory — (adj.) 1580s, from L. praedatorius, from praeda prey (see PREDATION (Cf. predation)). Of animals, from 1660s …   Etymology dictionary

  • predatory — [adj] eating, destroying for sustenance or without conscience bloodthirsty, carnivorous, depredatory, despoiling, greedy, hungry, hunting, marauding, pillaging, plundering, predacious, predative, preying, rapacious, raptorial, ravaging, ravening …   New thesaurus

  • predatory — ► ADJECTIVE 1) (of an animal) naturally preying on others. 2) seeking to exploit others …   English terms dictionary

  • predatory — [pred′ə tôr΄ē] adj. [L praedatorius < praeda, PREY] 1. of, living by, or characterized by plundering, robbing, or exploiting others 2. living by capturing and feeding upon other animals; predacious predatorily adv. predatoriness n …   English World dictionary

  • predatory — [[t]pre̱dətri, AM tɔːri[/t]] 1) ADJ: usu ADJ n Predatory animals live by killing other animals for food. ...predatory birds like the eagle. 2) ADJ GRADED: usu ADJ n Predatory people or organizations are eager to gain something out of someone else …   English dictionary

  • predatory — pred|a|to|ry [ˈpredətəri US to:ri] adj [Date: 1500 1600; : Latin; Origin: praedatorius, from praedari to seize and take away , from praeda stolen things ] 1.) a predatory animal kills and eats other animals for food 2.) trying to use someone s… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • predatory — pred|a|to|ry [ predə,tɔri ] adjective 1. ) relating to animals that kill and eat other animals 2. ) treating other people badly for your own benefit: a predatory criminal a ) BUSINESS relating to companies that are looking for other companies to… …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

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