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Animals - Verbs Relating to Animals

Here you will learn some English verbs relating to animals, such as "waddle", "gallop", and "peck".

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Words Related to Animals
to graze
to graze
[Verb]

(of sheep, cows, etc.) to feed on the grass in a field

Ex: The shepherd led the flock to graze on the hillside .
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to hunt
to hunt
[Verb]

to pursue and capture or kill other animals as a means of securing food or defending territory

Ex: In the wild , big cats often hunt at night to avoid the daytime heat .
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to dive
to dive
[Verb]

(of an aircraft or a bird) to descend steeply in the air

Ex: The spacecraft re-entered the Earth 's atmosphere and began to dive towards its landing site .
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to molt
to molt
[Verb]

(of animals or birds) to lose hair, feathers, etc. temporarily before they grow back

Ex: The deer molts in the late summer, replacing its old coat with a new one for the colder months.
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to hibernate

(of some animals or plants) to spend the winter sleeping deeply

Ex: Ground squirrels hibernate in their burrows, where they enter a state of deep torpor to survive the winter.
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to migrate

(of fish, birds, or other animals) to move to different geographic areas according to seasons in order to breed, find food, or escape harsh environmental conditions

Ex: African elephants migrate in search of water and food .
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to swim
to swim
[Verb]

to move through water by moving parts of the body, typically arms and legs

Ex: They 're learning to swim at the swimming pool .
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to perch
to perch
[Verb]

(of a bird) to land and rest on something, such as a branch, bar, etc.

Ex: The parrot perched on her shoulder , squawking playfully .
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to nuzzle
to nuzzle
[Verb]

to root out something with the snout

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to hover
to hover
[Verb]

(of a bird, aircraft, etc.) to remain at one place in midair

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to domesticate

to change wild animals or plants for human use or cultivation

Ex: Some scientists are exploring the possibility of domesticating certain wild plants for food production in the future .
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to feed
to feed
[Verb]

(of an animal or baby) to take or eat food

Ex: The calves fed near the barn in the early morning .
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to sing
to sing
[Verb]

(of birds) to make high-pitched and pleasing sounds

Ex: As the evening approached , the nightingales sang softly in the fading light .
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to camouflage

to blend in with the surroundings to avoid being seen or detected

Ex: Some insects camouflage by mimicking the appearance of twigs or leaves .
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to stroke
to stroke
[Verb]

to rub gently or caress an animal's fur or hair

Ex: To calm the nervous kitten , the veterinarian gently stroked its back while examining it .
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to peck
to peck
[Verb]

(of a bird) to move the beak in a sudden movement and bite something

Ex: The woodpecker pecked rhythmically on the tree trunk .
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to stalk
to stalk
[Verb]

to move stealthily or quietly towards prey or a target, typically in a deliberate and calculated manner

Ex: The wolf pack coordinated their movements to stalk a herd of deer .
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to sting
to sting
[Verb]

(of an animal or insect) to pierce the skin of another animal or a human, typically injecting poison, either in self-defense or while preying

Ex: If provoked , the scorpion will sting as a means of self-defense .
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to bite
to bite
[Verb]

to cut into flesh, food, etc. using the teeth

Ex: He could n't resist the temptation and decided to bite into the tempting chocolate bar .
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to soar
to soar
[Verb]

to go higher while flying

Ex: Watching the seagulls soar effortlessly over the ocean always brings a sense of peace and freedom .
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to slither

to move smoothly and quietly, like a snake

Ex: The frost-covered snake slithered across the icy path .
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to chase
to chase
[Verb]

to follow a person or thing and see where they go, often for the purpose of catching them

Ex: The paparazzi relentlessly chased the celebrity , hoping to capture exclusive photos .
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to hop
to hop
[Verb]

(of a bird or an animal) to move forward by jumping on all feet

Ex: The baby goat discovered its newfound ability to hop and playfully leaped around the barnyard .
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to bristle

to react or respond with anger, irritation, or indignation, often by stiffening or erecting hairs or bristles on the body

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to buck
to buck
[Verb]

(of a horse) to leap or jump with its back arched, typically in an attempt to throw off a rider or in a show of resistance

Ex: The rider was thrown off when the horse suddenly bucked.
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to spin
to spin
[Verb]

to twist or pull fibers together to form a continuous thread or yarn

Ex: Using a traditional hand-spinning technique , they spun hemp fibers .
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to swarm
to swarm
[Verb]

to gather or travel to a place in large, dense groups

Ex: Soldiers swarmed into the town to secure the area .
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to pollinate

to deposit pollen on a plant or flower so that it can produce new seeds or fruit

Ex: Some plants , like corn , are pollinated by the wind , while others , like tomatoes , rely on bees .
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to warble
to warble
[Verb]

(of a bird) to produce a melodious, trilling, or warbling song with a series of varying notes and pitches

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to preen
to preen
[Verb]

to groom oneself or another individual by straightening and cleaning the feathers or fur using the beak or tongue

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to nest
to nest
[Verb]

to build a nest or live in it

Ex: The pair of lovebirds meticulously worked together to nest in the hollow of a tree .
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to slough
to slough
[Verb]

to shed or cast off of old skin, scales, feathers, or horns, typically as part of a natural growth

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to scent
to scent
[Verb]

to track something using one's sense of smell, typically performed by animals to locate food, identify potential threats, or find mates

Ex: While I was hiking , I witnessed a rabbit scenting the air before darting into the bushes .
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to scavenge

to search for and consume decaying or dead organic matter as a source of food, often done by animals

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to prey on

to hunt, capture, and eat other animals as a means of survival

Ex: Some snakes prey on eggs , swallowing them whole .
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to rear
to rear
[Verb]

to stand or rise onto the back legs, usually referring to animals

Ex: The bear reared, towering over the hikers .
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to paw
to paw
[Verb]

to scrape, strike, or handle something using the paws

Ex: Bears pawed the carcass to get at the meat.
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to overwinter

to pass, endure, or spend the winter season

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to feed on

to regularly eat a specific type of food to stay alive and grow

Ex: Certain plants are known to feed on insects as a supplementary source of nutrients .
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to beach
to beach
[Verb]

to cause a marine animal to come onto shore or land, either intentionally or unintentionally

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to frisk
to frisk
[Verb]

to move about in a lively and playful way, usually by jumping or running, as seen in the behavior of young or excited animals

Ex: Playful monkeys in the treetops would often frisk their tails , signaling their contentment .
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to frolic
to frolic
[Verb]

to play or engage in lively, joyful, and often energetic or spontaneous activities

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to ruffle
to ruffle
[Verb]

to shake, fluff up, or disarrange the feathers of a bird, either as a sign of agitation, aggression, or fear, or as a part of their natural grooming behavior

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to spray
to spray
[Verb]

to expel a fine mist or stream of liquid or other substance from the body, often as a defense mechanism or as a way to mark territory or communicate with other animals

Ex: The octopus sprayed a cloud of ink to camouflage itself and evade capture by the predator .
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to shy
to shy
[Verb]

to startle or suddenly move away from something or someone, often due to fear, timidity, or a desire to avoid contact or attention

Ex: The horse shied from the loud noise , its ears pricked up in alarm .
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to scrabble

to scratch or scrape at a surface with hands or claws

Ex: The dog scrabbled on the carpet with its paws .
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to root
to root
[Verb]

to dig or search for something by using the snout, as done by certain animals like pigs

Ex: The animal rooted energetically , scattering leaves and debris everywhere .
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to burrow
to burrow
[Verb]

to dig a hole or tunnel into the ground or other surface to create a space for shelter or habitation

Ex: Certain birds , like kingfishers , burrow into riverbanks to create nesting sites .
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to ruminate

to chew food that has been regurgitated from the stomach, as done by certain animals like cows

Ex: The herd lay in the field , ruminating under the afternoon sun .
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to gallop
to gallop
[Verb]

(of a horse, etc.) to ride as fast as possible

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to trot
to trot
[Verb]

(of a horse or other animals) to move at a speed faster than a walk and slower than a canter

Ex: The donkey trotted behind the farmer , carrying a load of freshly harvested vegetables .
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to browse
to browse
[Verb]

to eat vegetation such as young shoots or foliage in a meadow, pasture, or woodland

Ex: Wild horses browse foliage near the riverbank at dawn .
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to lope
to lope
[Verb]

to bound or run with long, easy strides, often seen in animals such as horses, wolves, or gazelles

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to strut
to strut
[Verb]

to walk with a confident and often arrogant gait

Ex: He strutted across the stage , soaking in the applause .
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to leap
to leap
[Verb]

to jump very high or over a long distance

Ex: In the long jump competition , the athlete leaped with all their might .
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to flit
to flit
[Verb]

to move quickly and lightly from somewhere or something to another

Ex: Thoughts flit through his mind as he tries to come up with a solution to the problem at hand.
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to glide
to glide
[Verb]

to move smoothly and effortlessly through the air or on a surface with little or no propulsion

Ex: The boat glided gently down the river , hardly making a sound .
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to flutter

to move or flap rapidly and lightly, typically referring to the motion of wings, leaves, or other flexible objects

Ex: The curtains fluttered in the open window , letting in the fresh air .
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to scamper

to run or move quickly and playfully with small, light steps

Ex: The young foxes scampered through the forest , practicing their hunting skills .
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to prowl
to prowl
[Verb]

to move stealthily and with intent, especially by a predatory animal

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to bound
to bound
[Verb]

to leap or spring forward with energy and enthusiasm, often with all feet leaving the ground simultaneously

Ex: When released into the open space , the horse bounded with enthusiasm , displaying its freedom .
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to amble
to amble
[Verb]

to walk at a slow and leisurely pace, usually without any particular purpose or urgency

Ex: The elderly gentleman liked to amble in the local park .
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to swoop
to swoop
[Verb]

to quickly and unexpectedly attack a group or place to surround and capture them

Ex: A cybersecurity team swiftly swooped on hackers attempting to breach the network
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to waddle
to waddle
[Verb]

to walk with short, clumsy steps and a swaying motion from side to side, typically as a result of being overweight or having short legs

Ex: Due to the heavy backpack , she had to waddle up the steep hill , taking small , careful steps to maintain her balance .
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to charge
to charge
[Verb]

to attack violently and suddenly in a battle

Ex: The general ordered his troops to charge the enemy 's flank , hoping to gain a tactical advantage .
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to fly
to fly
[Verb]

to move or travel through the air

Ex: Look at the clouds ; planes must fly through them all the time .
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to crawl
to crawl
[Verb]

to move slowly with the body near the ground or on the hands and knees

Ex: The cat stalked its prey and then began to crawl silently through the grass .
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to lumber
to lumber
[Verb]

to move in a slow, heavy, and awkward manner, often due to the size or weight of the body or object being carried

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to swing
to swing
[Verb]

to move or make something move from one side to another while suspended

Ex: The acrobat skillfully swung the trapeze , delighting the audience with breathtaking aerial stunts .
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