hunt
B1neutral, can be used in both formal and informal contexts.
Definition
Meaning
To pursue and kill (wild animals or game) for sport or food.
To search thoroughly or determinedly for something or someone.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Carries both literal (pursuit of animals) and figurative (intense search) meanings. Often implies effort, challenge, and a specific target.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No major syntactic differences. Fox hunting is a culturally significant and contentious activity in the UK, while 'deer hunting' is more culturally prominent in parts of the US.
Connotations
In the UK, strongly associated with fox hunting and related class/political debates. In the US, often associated with gun culture, conservation, and subsistence.
Frequency
Both literal and figurative uses are common in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
hunt + (for) + NP (hunt for a job)hunt + NP (hunt deer)hunt + down + NP (hunt down the criminal)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “hunt high and low”
- “hunt with the hounds and run with the hare”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Recruitment: 'We are on the hunt for a new CFO.'
Academic
Archaeology: 'The team will hunt for evidence of early settlements.'
Everyday
'I've been hunting for my keys everywhere.'
Technical
Computing: 'The algorithm hunts for patterns in the dataset.'
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- They still hunt foxes with hounds in some counties.
- I'll have to hunt out that old photo for you.
American English
- We hunt deer in the fall up in Michigan.
- The FBI hunted the fugitive across three states.
adverb
British English
- Not commonly used as a standalone adverb.
American English
- Not commonly used as a standalone adverb.
adjective
British English
- He comes from a long line of hunting folk.
- The hunting season is strictly regulated.
American English
- She bought a new hunting rifle.
- The hunting lodge was deep in the woods.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The cat likes to hunt mice.
- We hunt for eggs on Easter.
- He is hunting for a new apartment in the city centre.
- Lions hunt in groups called prides.
- The prosecutor vowed to hunt down the corrupt officials.
- Journalists are hunting for the source of the leak.
- The company is relentlessly hunting for efficiency gains in its supply chain.
- Her eyes hunted his face for any sign of deception.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a HUNTer wearing a HAT. You HUNT for an animal, you HUNT for a fact, you HUNT for a new flat.
Conceptual Metaphor
LIFE IS A HUNT (for happiness, success, etc.); PROBLEM-SOLVING IS HUNTING (hunting for a solution, tracking down the cause).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not use 'hunt' for casual looking (use 'look for'). 'Oxota' is narrower (animal pursuit). 'Hunt' implies more effort and purpose than 'iskat'.
- Confusion with 'haunt' (a ghost haunts a place).
Common Mistakes
- I am hunting my phone. (Correct: I am hunting *for* my phone.)
- He hunts a new job. (Correct: He is *hunting for* a new job / *job-hunting*.)
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'hunt' in a primarily figurative sense?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is very commonly used figuratively to mean a determined search for anything (a job, keys, information).
'Hunt' often implies more effort, determination, and a specific target, while 'search' can be more general.
Yes, very commonly (e.g., 'the hunt for the missing child', 'a fox hunt').
Yes, 'job hunting' or 'the job hunt' are standard, fixed phrases.