foray Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a sudden short attack
    maraud; raid.
  2. noun an initial attempt (especially outside your usual areas of competence)
    • scientists' forays into politics
  3. verb steal goods; take as spoils
    pillage; strip; despoil; plunder; rifle; loot; reave; ransack.
    • During the earthquake people looted the stores that were deserted by their owners
  4. verb briefly enter enemy territory

WordNet

For"ay noun
Etymology
Another form of forahe. Cf. Forray.
Definitions
  1. A sudden or irregular incursion in border warfare; hence, any irregular incursion for war or spoils; a raid. Spenser.
    The huge Earl Doorm, . . . Bound on a foray, rolling eyes of prey. Tennyson.
For"ay transitive verb
Definitions
  1. To pillage; to ravage.
    He might foray our lands. Sir W. Scott.

Webster 1913