wolves

A pack of wolves howls at the full moon.

Definition

1. Noun (plural of ):
   • A wild carnivorous mammal: Wolves are large, predatory canids (e.g., Canis lupus) that typically live and hunt in packs.
   • A cruel or greedy person: Figuratively, wolves can refer to individuals who are rapacious, predatory, or ruthless in behavior.

Usage Examples

• Literal meaning:

  • The wolves howled at the moon from the forest edge. (The wild canids made a long, loud cry.)
  • A pack of wolves hunted down a deer in the snow. (A group of wolves cooperated to catch prey.)

• Figurative meaning:

  • The business world is full of wolves waiting to exploit the weak. (Ruthless people who take advantage of others.)
  • She described her competitors as wolves in a cutthroat market. (Aggressive, predatory rivals.)

Advanced Usage

• "a pack of wolves": a group of wolves that hunt and live together.

  • The documentary showed a pack of wolves coordinating their attack. (A social unit of wolves.)

• "cry wolf": to raise a false alarm, derived from the fable of the boy who falsely cried "Wolf!"

  • If you keep crying wolf, no one will believe you when you are in real danger. (To give false warnings repeatedly.)

• "wolf in sheep's clothing": a person who pretends to be harmless but is actually dangerous or deceitful.

  • The charming salesman turned out to be a wolf in sheep's clothing. (A deceptive, harmful person.)

Variants and Related Words

• Wolf (n, singular): the base form.

  • A lone wolf roamed the tundra. (A single wolf.)

• Wolfish (adj): resembling or characteristic of a wolf, especially in being predatory or greedy.

  • He gave a wolfish grin before taking the last piece of cake. (A greedy, predatory smile.)

• Wolfhound (n): a large breed of dog originally bred to hunt wolves.

  • The Irish wolfhound is known for its size and gentle nature. (A dog breed.)

Synonyms

• Canines: a general term for dog-like mammals, including wolves.
• Predators: animals that hunt others for food; also used figuratively for ruthless people.
• Raiders: people who attack or plunder, similar to figurative wolves.

Related Idioms

• "throw to the wolves": to sacrifice someone to danger or criticism.

  • The manager threw the intern to the wolves during the press conference. (To abandon someone to harsh treatment.)

• "keep the wolf from the door": to have enough money to avoid hunger or poverty.

  • He worked two jobs just to keep the wolf from the door. (To barely afford basic needs.)

• "a lone wolf": a person who prefers to act or live alone.

  • She is a lone wolf in the office, rarely joining team activities. (An independent, solitary person.)