hunt

verb

• 1 [with object] pursue and kill (a wild animal) for sport or food:in the autumn they hunted deer [no object]:they hunted and fished
• (of an animal) chase and kill (its prey):mice are hunted by weasels and foxes [no object]:lionesses hunt in groups
• [no object] try to find someone or something by searching carefully:he desperately hunted for a new job
• (hunt something out/up) search for something until it is found.
• [with object] (of the police) search for (a criminal):the gang is being hunted by police [no object]:police are hunting for her attacker
• (hunt someone down) pursue and capture someone.

• 2 [no object] (of a machine, instrument needle, or system) oscillate around a desired speed, position, or state.
• (of an aircraft or rocket) oscillate around a mean flight path.
• (of an automatic transmission in a motor vehicle) keep shifting between gears because of improperly designed shift logic.

• 3 [no object] (hunt down/up) (in change-ringing) move the place of a bell in a simple progression.

noun

• 1an act of hunting wild animals or game.
• an association of people who meet regularly to hunt, especially with hounds.
• an area where hunting takes place.
• a search:police launched a hunt for the killer

• 2an oscillating motion around a desired speed, position, or state.