prowl
nounEtymology From Middle English prollen, of unknown origin.
1
Colloquial The act of prowling.
- I'm going on a midnight prowl.
prowl
verb/pɹaʊl/ · /pɹoʊl/
Etymology From Middle English prollen, of unknown origin.
1
Ambitransitive To rove over, through, or about in a stealthy manner; especially, to search in, as for prey or booty.
- Watch the lioness prowling in the shrubbery for zebras.
- It's easy to sneak vandalism into Wiktionary as there are few other users prowling the Recent Changes page.
2 more examples
- He prowls each place, still in new colours decked.a. 1587, Philippe Sidnei [i.e., Philip Sidney], “(please specify the folio)”, in [Fulke Greville; Matthew Gwinne; John Florio], editors, The Countesse of Pembrokes Arcadia [The New Arcadia], London: […] [John Windet] for William Ponsonbie, published 1590, →OCLC:
- While McCarthy prowled the touchline barking orders, his opposite number watched on motionless and expressionless and, with 25 minutes to go, decided to throw on Nicolas Anelka for Kalou.2011 January 5, Mark Ashenden, “Wolverhampton 1 - 0 Chelsea”, in BBC:
2
To idle; to go about aimlessly.
- That dandy has nothing better to do than prowl around town all day in his pinstripe suit.
3
Obsolete To collect by plunder.
- to prowl money
- Derived terms
- aprowl, on the prowl, prowl car, prowler, prowlingly