Hunt

Hunt, hunt, v.t. to chase wild animals for prey or sport: to chase such over a country: to search for: to pursue.—v.i. to go out in pursuit of game: to search.—n. a chase of wild animals: search: a pack of hunting hounds: an association of huntsmen.—ns. Hunt′-count′er, a dog that runs back or counter on the scent, a worthless dog—hence (Shak.), a blunderer, and v.t. to retrace one's steps; Hunt′er (fem. Hunt′ress), one who hunts: a horse used in the chase: a watch whose face is protected, like the reverse, with a metal case; Half′-hunt′er, such a watch where that metal case has a small circle of glass let in, so that one can see the time without opening it; Hunt′ing, the pursuit of wild game, the chase; Hunt′ing-box, Hunt′ing-lodge, Hunt′ing-seat, a temporary residence for hunting; Hunt′ing-cap, a form of cap much worn in the hunting-field; Hunt′ing-cog, an extra cog in one of two geared wheels, by means of which the order of contact of cogs is changed at every revolution; Hunt′ing-crop, -whip, a short whip with a crooked handle and a loop of leather at the end, used in the hunting-field; Hunt′ing-ground, a place or region for hunting; Hunting-horn, a horn used in hunting, a bugle; Hunt′ing-knife, -sword, a knife or short sword used to despatch the game when caught, or to skin and cut it up; Hunt′ing-song, a song about hunting; Hunt′ing-tide, the season of hunting; Hunts′man, one who hunts: a servant who manages the hounds during the chase; Hunts′manship, the qualifications of a huntsman; Hunt's-up (Shak.), a tune or song intended to arouse huntsmen in the morning—hence, anything calculated to arouse.—Hunt down, to destroy by persecution or violence; Hunt out, up, after, to search for, seek; Hunt-the-gowk, to make an April fool (see April); Hunt-the-slipper, an old-fashioned game in which one in the middle of a ring tries to catch a shoe which those forming the ring upon the ground shove about under their hams from one to another.—Happy hunting-grounds, the paradise of the Red Indian; Mrs Leo Hunter, of 'The Den, Eatanswill,' a social lion-hunter in the Pickwick Papers whose husband hunts up all the newest celebrities to grace her breakfast parties. [A.S. huntian; A.S. hentan, to seize.]