Synonyms and antonyms of Animal behaviour in British Thesaurus

beach (verb)

if a whale (=large sea animal) is beached, it lands on the beach and cannot get back into the water

bite (verb)

if a snake or insect bites you, it makes a small hole in your skin

bite (noun)

an instance of an animal biting someone

bristle (verb)

if an animal’s fur bristles, it sticks up because the animal is angry or afraid

buck (verb)

if an animal such as a horse bucks, it kicks its back legs in the air or jumps off the ground in an uncontrolled way

burrow (verb)

an animal that burrows digs a hole or tunnel in the ground to live in

cast (verb)

if a snake casts its skin, it slides out of it

chew the cud ()

if an animal chews the cud, it brings food that it has swallowed back into its mouth to chew again

claw (verb)

to attack someone, or to try to cut or tear something using claws

frisk (verb)

if young animals frisk, they run and jump

gore (verb)

if an animal such as a bull gores someone, it injures them with its horns

growl (verb)

if an animal growls, it makes a frightening or unfriendly low noise

hibernate (verb)

if an animal hibernates, it sleeps through the winter months

homing instinct (noun)

if an animal or bird has a homing instinct, it is able to find its way home across long distances

hop (verb)

if a bird or animal hops, it uses both or all feet to jump forward

hop (noun)

a short quick jump by a small animal, such as a rabbit, or a bird

infest (verb)

if animals or insects infest a place, there are very many of them in it, so that they might cause damage or disease

infestation (noun)

a situation in which a lot of insects or animals are in a place and are causing damage or disease

lap (verb)

if an animal laps water, it drinks it gently with its tongue

lash (verb)

if an animal lashes its tail, or if its tail lashes, it moves its tail fast and violently from side to side, often when it is angry

lash (noun)

a quick violent movement of an animal’s tail from side to side, often because it is angry

maul (verb)

if an animal mauls a person or other animal, it attacks them with its claws and teeth, usually causing serious injury

migrate (verb)

biology if a bird or animal migrates, it travels to another part of the world for warmer weather at a particular time of the year

migration (noun)

the process by which people or animals migrate to another place or country

mimic (verb)

biology if a plant or animal mimics another plant or animal or mimics something in its environment, it makes itself look like it in order to be less noticeable to its enemies

mimicry (noun)

biology the way in which a plant or animal is able to make itself look like another plant or animal or something in its environment in order to be less noticeable to its enemies

molt ()

the American spelling of moult

moult (verb)

if an animal or bird moults, it loses its outer layer of skin, fur, feathers etc so that a new layer can replace it

mount (verb)

if a male animal mounts a female animal, he climbs on her back in order to have sex

overwinter (verb)

if plants or animals overwinter somewhere, they live through the winter there without dying

parasitize (verb)

to live on or in a host organism as a parasite

paw (verb)

if an animal paws something, it touches it several times with its foot

prance (verb)

if a horse prances, it walks with lively steps, raising its legs high in a way that is not natural

predation (noun)

the relationship between two groups of animals in which one species hunts, kills, and eats the other

preen (verb)

if a bird or animal preens or preens itself, it cleans and arranges its feathers or fur with its beak or tongue

prey on ()

to hunt another creature in order to eat it

rear (verb)

if a horse rears, it lifts its front legs up into the air

scavenge (verb)

if an animal scavenges, it eats anything that it can find

scent (verb)

if an animal scents someone or something, it knows they are there because of their smell

scrabble (verb)

if an animal scrabbles, it moves its feet quickly against a surface

shy (verb)

if a horse shies, it moves suddenly away from something because it is afraid

slough (verb)

to remove an outer layer of skin

spray (verb)

if a cat sprays a particular area, it urinates in many places around the area to show other cats that it lives there

tolerate (verb)

if plants or animals tolerate particular conditions, they are able to exist in those conditions

trot (verb)

if a horse or other animal trots, it moves more quickly than when walking but does not run