depredatev.
/ˈdɛprɪdeɪt/ a. transitive. To prey upon, to make a prey of; to plunder, pillage. Obsolete (or nonce-wd)
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > by eating habits > [verb (transitive)] > prey on
devourc1315
to prey ona1500
raven1530
depredate1651
predate1941
the mind > possession > taking > stealing or theft > robbery > spoliation or depredation > despoil or prey upon [verb (transitive)]
reaveOE
stripa1225
pill?c1225
robc1225
peela1250
despoil1297
raimc1300
spoilc1330
spoila1340
to pull a finch (also pigeon, plover, etc.)c1387
despoil1393
preya1400
spoila1400
spulyiea1400
unspoila1400
riflec1400
poll1490
to pill and poll1528
to poll and pill1528
exspoila1530
pilyie1539
devour?1542
plume1571
rive1572
bepill1574
fleece1575
to prey over1576
pread1577
disvaledge1598
despoliate1607
to make spoil of1613
expilate1624
to peel and poll1641
depredate1651
violatea1657
disvalise1672
to pick feathers off (a person)1677
to make stroy of1682
spoliate1699
pilfer1714
snabble1725
rump1815
vampire1832
sweat1847
ploat1855
vampirize1888
1651 N. Bacon Contin. Hist. Disc. Govt. 50 That corrupt custome, or practice of depredating those Possessions given to a holy use.
1655 H. L'Estrange Reign King Charles 126 Such things as had been depredated and scrambled away from the Crown in his Fathers minority.
a1676 M. Hale Primitive Originat. Mankind (1677) iv. viii. 369 Animals..which are more obnoxious to be preyed upon and depredated.
1886 Pall Mall Gaz. 2 Oct. 4/1 These animals [tigers and leopards] are common in Corea, and depredate the inhabitants in winter.]
ΘΚΠ
the world > existence and causation > creation > destruction > destroy [verb (transitive)] > devour, engulf, or consume (of fire, water, etc.)
supeOE
eatc950
fretc1000
forthnimc1175
forfret?c1225
to-fret?c1225
swallowa1340
devourc1374
upsoup1382
consumea1398
bisweligha1400
founderc1400
absorb1490
to swallow up1531
upsupa1547
incinerate1555
upswallow1591
fire1592
absume1596
abyss1596
worm1604
depredate1626
to gulp downa1644
whelm1667
1626 F. Bacon Sylua Syluarum §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.
1662 H. Stubbe Indian Nectar iii. 65 They do depredate, and dissolve, by way of colliquation, the flesh.
2. intransitive. To make depredations. (affected.)
ΚΠ
1797 A. M. Bennett Beggar Girl II. viii. 135 If none are allowed to depredate on the fortunes of others.
1820 S. Turner Hist. Anglo-Saxons (ed. 3) I. iv. iii. 492 Ragnar Lodbrog depredated with success on various parts of Europe.
1888 Boston (Mass.) Jrnl. 20 Oct. 2 4 Wolves..invade farm yards and depredate upon chickens and calves.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1895; most recently modified version published online March 2019).
<
v.1626