| 释义 |
depredate, v.|ˈdɛprɪdeɪt|
[f. ppl. stem of L. dēprædāre to pillage, ravage, f. de- I. 3 + prædāre (-ārī) to make booty or prey of, f. præda booty, prey. Cf. F. dépréder.]
†1. trans. To prey upon, to make a prey of; to plunder, pillage. Obs. (or nonce-wd)
1651N. Bacon Disc. Govt. Eng. ii. vi. (1739) 30 That corrupt custom or practice of depredating those possessions given to a holy use. 1654H. L'Estrange Chas. I (1655) 126 Such things as had been depredated and scrambled away from the Crown in his Fathers minority. 1677Hale Prim. Orig. Man. iv. viii. 369 Animals..which are more obnoxious to be preyed upon and depredated. [1886Pall Mall G. 2 Oct. 4/1 These animals [tigers and leopards] are common in Corea, and depredate the inhabitants in winter. ]
†b. fig. To consume by waste. Obs.
1626Bacon Sylva §299 It [Exercise] maketh the Substance of the Body more solid and Compact; and so less apt to be Consumed and Depredated by the Spirits. 1662H. Stubbe Ind. Nectar iii. 65 They do depredate, and dissolve, by way of colliquation, the flesh.
2. intr. To make depredations. (affected.)
1797A. M. Bennett Beggar Girl (1813) I. 250 If none are allowed to depredate on the fortunes of others. 1799–1805S. Turner Anglo-Sax. (1836) I. iv. iii. 283 Ragnar Lodbrog depredated with success on various parts of Europe. 1888Boston (Mass) Jrnl. 20 Oct. 2 4 Wolves..invade farm yards and depredate upon chickens and calves. |