fall prey to

Meanings

• Phrasal Verb

  Suffer harm, loss, or damage, often unexpectedly or unwillingly.

  - "The company fell prey to a cyber attack and lost all their customer data."
  - "Despite taking all precautions, the hikers fell prey to a sudden storm."
  - "Many investors fell prey to the stock market scam and lost their savings."

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Rhymes

Words rhyming with fall prey to
prey , decay , pray , stray , play , delay

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Variants

List of all variants of fall prey to that leads to same result
be prey to , be/fall prey to , fall prey to

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Etymology

origin and the way in which meanings have changed throughout history.

Originally meant 'to catch or seize suddenly and forcibly' from Old French 'preier' meaning 'to pray'. Over time, the meaning evolved to 'fall into the power or control of' or 'suffer harm or loss from'.

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Trivia

Any details, considerations, events or pieces of information regarding the word

1. The phrase 'fall prey to' was first recorded in English in the 15th century.

2. In the Bible, the phrase 'fall prey to' is used to describe the Israelites' disobedience and eventual capture by their enemies.

3. The phrase 'fall prey to' is often used in legal contexts to describe someone who has been deceived or defrauded.

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Related Concepts

informations on related concepts or terms closely associated with the word. Discuss semantic fields or domains that the word belongs to

1. vulnerability: The state of being exposed to the possibility of being attacked or harmed. Falling prey to something often involves being in a state of vulnerability.

2. prey: An animal hunted or caught for food by another animal. Falling prey to something can also mean being in a position of weakness or powerlessness, much like an animal being hunted.

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Culture

Any cultural, historical, or symbolic significance of the word. Explore how the word has been used in literature, art, music, or other forms of expression.

The phrase 'fall prey to' is often used in literature and media to describe characters or situations that encounter misfortune or harm. For example, in Shakespeare's 'Macbeth', Lady Macbeth famously says, 'What's done cannot be undone; Perchance 'tis done: their very casuistry is in their favour; It is a position all try'd and honour'd men must put themselves in.' Here, she is acknowledging that everyone is susceptible to making mistakes and falling prey to temptation.

How to Memorize "fall prey to"

1. visualize
   

   - Imagine falling into a pit or being surrounded by danger. Visualize the feeling of being trapped or helpless.

2. associate
   

   - Associate the phrase with images of people or animals in danger, or with the idea of being caught off guard.

3. mnemonics
   

   - Create a mnemonic by remembering the phrase 'Falls Prey To' as 'Frequently Perishes Rapidly Every Time'.

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