the pursuit and killing or capture of game and wild animals, regarded as a sport (as modifier): hunting boots, hunting lodge
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025
hunt /hʌnt/USA pronunciation
v.
n. [countable]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025- to chase or search for (game or other wild animals) for the purpose of catching or killing: [~ + object]Do you need a license to hunt pheasant?[no object]They hunt in the spring.
- to chase (a person) in order to capture:[~ (+ down) + object]to hunt down a kidnapper.
- to search thoroughly: [~ + object]They were hunting the area for a new house.[no object]They were hunting for a new house.
- to pursue or take game in:[~ + object]Poachers have been hunting the woods.
n. [countable]
- the act or practice of hunting.
- a search or pursuit;
a seeking to find:The hunt for the house took a year.
hunt•ing
(hun′ting),USA pronunciation n.
adj.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025- the act of a person, animal, or thing that hunts.
- Electricitythe periodic oscillating of a rotating electromechanical system about a mean space position, as in a synchronous motor.
adj.
- of, for, engaged in, or used while hunting:a hunting cap.
- Middle English huntung (noun, nominal), Old English huntung(e). See hunt, -ing1, -ing2 bef. 950
hunt
(hunt),USA pronunciation v.t.
v.i.
n.
hunt′a•ble, adj.
hunt′ed•ly, adv.
Hunt (hunt),USA pronunciation n.
- to chase or search for (game or other wild animals) for the purpose of catching or killing.
- to pursue with force, hostility, etc., in order to capture (often fol. by down):They hunted him down and hanged him.
- to search for;
seek;
endeavor to obtain or find (often fol. by up or out):to hunt up the most promising candidates for the position. - to search (a place) thoroughly.
- to scour (an area) in pursuit of game.
- to use or direct (a horse, hound, etc.) in chasing game.
- Music and Dance[Change Ringing.]to alter the place of (a bell) in a hunt.
v.i.
- to engage in the pursuit, capture, or killing of wild animals for food or in sport.
- to make a search or quest (often fol. by for or after).
- Music and Dance[Change Ringing.]to alter the place of a bell in its set according to certain rules.
n.
- an act or practice of hunting game or other wild animals.
- a search;
a seeking or endeavor to find. - a pursuit.
- a group of persons associated for the purpose of hunting;
an association of hunters. - an area hunted over.
- Music and Dance[Change Ringing.]a regularly varying order of permutations in the ringing of a group of from five to twelve bells.
- bef. 1000; (verb, verbal) Middle English hunten, Old English huntian, derivative of hunta hunter, akin to hentan to pursue; (noun, nominal) Middle English, derivative of the verb, verbal
hunt′ed•ly, adv.
- 1.See corresponding entry in Unabridged pursue, track.
Hunt (hunt),USA pronunciation n.
- Biographical Richard Morris, 1828–95, U.S. architect.
- Biographical William Morris, 1824–79, U.S. painter (brother of Richard Morris Hunt).
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
to seek out and kill or capture (game or wild animals) for food or sport - (intransitive) often followed by for:
to look (for); search (for): to hunt for a book, to hunt up a friend - (transitive)
to use (hounds, horses, etc) in the pursuit of wild animals, game, etc: to hunt a pack of hounds - (transitive)
to search or draw (country) to hunt wild animals, game, etc: to hunt the parkland - (transitive) often followed by down:
to track or chase diligently, esp so as to capture: to hunt down a criminal - (tr; usually passive)
to persecute; hound - (intransitive)
(of a gauge indicator, engine speed, etc) to oscillate about a mean value or position - (intransitive)
(of an aircraft, rocket, etc) to oscillate about a flight path
the act or an instance of hunting chase or search, esp of animals or game the area of a hunt a party or institution organized for the pursuit of wild animals or game, esp for sport the participants in or members of such a party or institution - in the hunt ⇒
having a chance of success: that result keeps us in the hunt