hunting
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Related to hunting: deer hunting
happy hunting ground
A utopia. Used by Native Americans to describe the afterlife. The annual car swap meet is a happy hunting ground for automotive enthusiasts.
headhunt
To recruit employees for a business or corporation. Yes, I'm currently headhunting, but none of the candidates I've interviewed so far has wowed me.
hunt after (someone or something)
To search or look for someone or something. Please try not to worry too much—the police are hunting after the suspect right now. A: "Hey, I'm hunting after some wrapping paper." B: "Oh, that's in the drawer over here."
hunt down
1. To pursue and find someone or something. A noun or pronoun can be used between "hunt" and "down." The police have vowed to hunt down the perpetrators of this crime. If you hurt my daughter, I'll hunt you down, you hear me?
2. To search for someone or something. A noun or pronoun can be used between "hunt" and "down." I'm trying to hunt down an extra cookie pan, but I've been unsuccessful so far.
hunt for (someone or something)
1. To engage in the sport of hunting. Last I heard, they were going out to hunt for quail.
2. To search for someone or something. I'm hunting for an extra cookie pan, but I can't find a thing in all this mess!
See also: hunt
hunt high and low (for someone or something)
To look absolutely everywhere for someone or something. We've been hunting high and low for an apartment we can afford, but the housing market in this town is atrocious. I hunted high and low, but I couldn't find my passport anywhere.
hunt out
To seek out or search for someone or something. A noun or pronoun can be used between "hunt" and "out." Thanks to your description of his physical appearance, the police were able to hunt out the suspect. I'll need a phone book. Sarah, could you go hunt one out for me, please? I say we start hunting out a new manufacturing partner.
hunt through (something) (for something)
To dig or rummage aimlessly in or through some cluttered place or collection of things in order to find something. I caught my brother hunting through my purse again. A raccoon was hunting through the dumpster for something to eat. We spent the whole afternoon hunting through old photographs of Granny Mary, picking the best ones for her memorial service.
hunt up
1. To engage in a lengthy search to attempt to locate someone or something. A noun or pronoun can be used between "hunt" and "up." Hey, look at this! I hunted those pins up that you were looking for. The company is going to be hunting up a new PR manager soon.
2. To contact someone, typically when you are in the area where they live. A noun or pronoun can be used between "hunt" and "up." Be sure to hunt me up if you're ever in New York. You should hunt up Aunt Maureen when you're out West.
run with the hare and hunt with the hounds
1. To support or attempt to placate both sides of a conflict or dispute. Many have criticized the government of running with the hare and hunting with the hounds regarding the territorial dispute between the two nations.
2. To act duplicitously or hypocritically; to speak or act out against something while engaging or taking part in it. How can you be taken seriously as a reformer when you have continued to accept gifts? You can't run with the hare and hunt with the hounds, Senator.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2015 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
hunt someone or something down
1. to chase and catch someone or something. I don't know where Amy is, but I'll hunt her down. I'll find her. I will hunt down the villain.
2. to locate someone or something. I don't have a big enough gasket. I'll have to hunt one down. I have to hunt down a good dentist.
hunt someone or something out
to find someone or something even if concealed. We will hunt them all out and find every last one of those guys. We will hunt out all of them. They hunted out the murderer.
in quest of someone or something
and in search of someone or somethingseeking or hunting something; trying to find something. They went into town in quest of a reasonably priced restaurant. Monday morning I'll go out in search of a job.
run with the hare and hunt with the hounds
Fig. to support both sides of a dispute. In our office politics, Sally always tries to run with the hare and hunt with the hounds, telling both the clerical workers and the management that she thinks they should prevail.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
happy hunting ground
A place where one can find or do what one wishes without restriction. For example, The North Shore is a happy hunting ground for antique collectors. This term alludes to the Native American idea of an afterlife where hunters find unlimited game. [Early 1800s]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
run with the hare and hunt with the hounds
BRITISH, LITERARYIf someone runs with the hare and hunts with the hounds, they try to support both sides in an argument or fight. They want to keep the peace and have everybody happy. For this reason they learn very quickly to run with the hares and hunt with the hounds. Note: A hound is a dog that has been bred for hunting.
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012
happy hunting ground
a place where success or enjoyment is obtained.This phrase originally referred to the optimistic hope of Native Americans that the afterlife will be spent in a country where there are good hunting grounds.
1991 Antique Collector With Old Master drawings still considered an undervalued genre, this should prove a happy hunting ground for those in search of a bargain.
run with the hare and hunt with the hounds
try to remain on good terms with both sides in a conflict or dispute. BritishThis expression has been in use since the mid 15th century.
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
a happy ˈhunting ground
(humorous) a very good place to find what you want: The Sunday antique market is a happy hunting ground for collectors.run with the ˌhare and hunt with the ˈhounds
try to remain friendly with both sides in a quarrel: I know you want to keep everyone happy, but I’m afraid you can’t run with the hare and hunt with the hounds on this issue.Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
hunt down
v.
1. To pursue, track, or search for something or someone: The panther hunted down the deer. The police hunted the kidnappers down.
2. To find something or someone after a long or difficult search: I hunted down my watch—it was at the bottom of my sock drawer. After two weeks, the detectives finally hunted the suspect down.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs. Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
happy hunting ground
Heaven; a place of abundance, replete with what one wants. The idea comes from the beliefs of Native American tribes that after death they will go to a paradise with an abundance of game and therefore always have enough to eat. The term appears in the works of James Fenimore Cooper and other writers on Indian subjects. As Cooper wrote in The Pathfinder (1840), “‘Do the dead of the savages ever walk?’ demanded Cap. ‘Ay, and run, too, in their happy hunting grounds.’” Later the term became a euphemism for death, and still later it was transferred to any place of abundant treasures.
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer Copyright © 2013 by Christine Ammer