If a human catches a fish, will it be considered his prey? Is the word 'prey' applicable in the context in which a human catches a fish(recreation) or hunts a deer/foal from the jungle or slaughters a hen/cow from his farm for food.
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2 Answers
In an effort not to sound savage, we usually don't call our hunt as 'prey', we usually call our spoils from a hunting event as 'hunt' or 'kill' or in the case of fish, 'catch'.
But technically, we are animals too, so 'prey' isn't "technically" incorrect. Since we don't have to hide in the bush, time our jump and chase our kill, thanks to technology and evolution, we make it sound less gruesome than it actually is.
answered Oct 10, 2017 at 13:16
I would offer as a working definition of prey "an animal hunted by a wild animal for food, as part of its normal diet".
Thus, if you were to say something like
The hunter raised his rifle and took aim at his prey.
it would be understood as a figurative or metaphorical statement in which the hunter was being indirectly likened to a wild animal.
It would be more usual to say
The hunter raised his rifle and took aim at his quarry.
With respect to your example with the farmer, domesticated animals raised for food are not referred to as prey except metaphorically.
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1American Heritage lists as one of its definitions for prey: "An animal hunted or caught for food; quarry", so I'm not sure that the first statement would need to be interpreted quite so figuratively. I more fully agree with your comment about the farmer, though.– J.R. ♦Commented Oct 10, 2017 at 14:47
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@J.R. Let's flip the part of speech for moment: would you say that hunters with rifles and shotguns prey on deer or pheasants?– TimRCommented Oct 10, 2017 at 15:26
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Just because I wouldn't use a word as a verb doesn't mean I wouldn't use it as a noun.– J.R. ♦Commented Oct 11, 2017 at 14:15