vulturine
/'vʌltʃurain/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Adjective:
- Resembling or characteristic of a vulture, especially in being predatory or scavenging: Describes behavior, appearance, or traits that are similar to those of a vulture, often implying greed, rapacity, or a readiness to exploit others.
- Living by preying on other animals: Pertaining to a predatory or parasitic lifestyle.
Examples of Usage
- Adjective:
- The critic's vulturine scrutiny of the young author's first novel was harsh and unforgiving.
- In the corporate world, he was known for his vulturine tactics, circling failing companies to acquire their assets cheaply.
- The documentary showed the vulturine behavior of certain birds waiting for weakened animals.
Advanced Usage
- "vulturine taste": A strong or morbid appetite for something unpleasant or decaying, metaphorically.
- The tabloid newspaper has a vulturine taste for celebrity scandals and misfortunes.
Variants and Related Words
- Vulturous (adj): Having the qualities of a vulture; rapacious. (Often used interchangeably with ).
- Vulturish (adj): Another variant meaning vulture-like.
- Predatory (adj): Seeking to exploit or oppress others. (A core synonym for the behavioral aspect).
- Rapacious (adj): Aggressively greedy or grasping. (A close synonym emphasizing greed).
Synonyms
- Predatory
- Rapacious
- Ravenous
- Scavenging
- Exploitative
Related Phrases
- To circle like a vulture: To wait for an opportunity to gain from someone else's misfortune.
- Investors began to circle like vultures as the company's stock price plummeted.
Related Idioms
- A culture of vultures: A metaphorical description of an environment where individuals or entities prey on the weak or vulnerable.
- The loan shark business was described as a culture of vultures, preying on the desperate.
Adjective
- living by preying on other animals especially by catching living prey
- a predatory bird
- the rapacious wolf
- raptorial birds
- ravening wolves
- a vulturine taste for offal