foray
Meaning
-
- A sudden or irregular incursion in border warfare; hence, any irregular incursion for war or spoils; a raid.
- A brief excursion or attempt, especially outside one's accustomed sphere.
Synonyms
take risks
take chances
Frequency
Pronounced as (IPA)
/ˈfɒɹ.eɪ/
Etymology
From Middle English forrayen (“to pillage”), a back-formation of forrayour, forreour, forrier (“raider, pillager”), from Old French forrier, fourrier, a derivative of fuerre (“provender, fodder, straw”), from Frankish *fōdar (“fodder, sheath”), from Proto-Germanic *fōdrą (“fodder, feed, sheath”), from Proto-Indo-European *patrom (“fodder”), *pat- (“to feed”), *pāy- (“to guard, graze, feed”). Cognate with Old High German fuotar (German Futter (“fodder, feed”)), Old English fōdor, fōþor (“food, fodder, covering, case, basket”), Dutch voeder (“forage, food, feed”), Danish foder (“fodder, feed”), Icelandic fóður (“fodder, sheath”). More at fodder, food, forage.
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Notes