foray

Meaning

Noun

1. A sudden or irregular incursion in border warfare; hence, any irregular incursion for war or spoils; a raid.
2. A brief excursion or attempt, especially outside one's accustomed sphere.

Verb

1. To participate in a foray.
2. To do or attempt something outside one's typical area of expertise.
3. To scour an area for goods as part of a foray.

Synonyms

raid

invasion

incursion

plunder

encroachment

pillage

intrusion

ransack

aggression

despoil

reave

loot

maraud

inroad

attack

👊

try

strip

rifle

go

harry

heist

hold up

infringe

infringement

intrude

invade

irruption

mug

offer

operation

overrun

pass

pirate

ravage

rip off

rob

rummage

sack

seeking

snatch

sortie

stab

stick up

storm

testing

take risks

trespass

venture

violation

whirl

take chances

adventure

crack

assault

attempt

bereave

bid

business

charge

company

down

encroach

enterprise

escalade

essay

establishment

experiment

experimentation

firm

fling

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈfɒɹ.eɪ/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: forrayen

Cognate with Old High German: fuotar

Cognate with German: Futter

Cognate with Old English: fōdor

Cognate with Dutch: voeder

Cognate with Danish: foder

Cognate with Icelandic: fóður

In summary

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.