Foray

Pronunciation

• UK IPA: /ˈfÉ’.ɹeɪ/
• US IPA: /ˈfɔːɹ.eɪ/
• Rhymes: -eɪ

Alternative forms

• forrey 15th century

Origin

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.

Full definition of foray

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.
• 2011, September 27, Alistair Magowan, Bayern Munich 2 - 0 Man City, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Muller were among many who should have added the third, and City were limited to rare forays with the excellent Boateng pinching the ball off Aguero and Aleksandar Kolarov shooting wide in stoppage time.

Verb

1. (transitive) To scour (an area or place) for food, treasure, booty etc.
• 1485, Sir Thomas Malory, Le Morte Darthur, Book V:And thyder shall thou go to forrey that forestes, and with the shall go Sir Gawayne ....
2. (intransitive) To pillage; to ravage.