mainly hunt

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "mainly hunt" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a primary activity or focus, particularly in contexts related to hunting or searching for something. Example: "The group mainly hunt for deer during the fall season."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

They mainly hunt other birds in flight.

Encyclopedia Britannica

For a start, they mainly hunt during the day, when lions and hyenas are having a kip.

BBC

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

"He is a killer, so he's feared, but he's also trusted," said Mr. Crutchfield, who is now retired and mainly hunting quail.

The New York Times

The jaguar mainly hunts large mammals such as deer, and sometimes cattle, using its strength to haul its prey into trees out of danger.

Independent

|  Swann offers a large group of sporting prints (mainly hunting scenes) by the Salem-born, Paris-trained Impressionist Frank W. Benson as part of its Sept. 23 auction of American prints.

The New Yorker

Unlike Bosnia, which was flooded with 60,000 mainly American, British and French troops after the Dayton conference, cementing peace into place, Afghanistan has been largely left to fend for itself.True, there are some 20,000 coalition troops still operating there, but these are mainly hunting Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda's remnants.

The Economist

So that males were mainly hunting (hunter-gatherer hypothesis)—they had to detect enemies and predators much faster [183].

Journal of Big Data

It mainly hunts at night and has been known to pursue prey almost onto the shore.

Wikipedia

Hundreds of Turkish troops have been operating in northern Iraq since the mid-1990's, mainly to hunt down Kurdish guerrillas who have been waging a separatist struggle in southeastern Turkey, where the Kurds predominate.

The New York Times

Special operations forces from the United States, Britain and other allied nations should be used mainly to hunt down the leaders of Al Qaeda and the Taliban, which could involve tracking them to remote hideaways and hillside caves.

The New York Times

Knives served mainly for hunting and as weapons, but the wealthy used small ornamental eating knives.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "mainly hunt" when you want to emphasize that hunting is the primary, but not necessarily exclusive, activity. For instance, a predator might "mainly hunt" a specific prey, but also consume other food sources opportunistically.

Common error

Avoid using "mainly hunt" when the activity is almost entirely exclusive. If an animal only hunts one type of prey, "exclusively hunt" or "solely hunt" would be more accurate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "mainly hunt" functions as a verb phrase, where "mainly" acts as an adverb modifying the verb "hunt". According to Ludwig AI, it indicates the primary action or activity performed, particularly in the context of seeking or pursuing prey.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33.3%

Encyclopedias

33.3%

Science

33.3%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "mainly hunt" is a grammatically sound verb phrase used to indicate the primary activity of hunting, as highlighted by Ludwig. It's most frequently encountered in News & Media, Encyclopedias, and Science contexts. While not overly common, it serves to specify the main target or prey, and a good practice is to avoid using it if an activity is exclusive. Consider alternatives such as "primarily seek" or "chiefly pursue" for varied expression.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

primarily seek

Replaces "hunt" with a more general term for searching, maintaining the focus on the main objective.

chiefly pursue

Emphasizes the main goal of chasing or striving for something, swapping both words for more formal synonyms.

largely target

Focuses on the main aim or object being targeted, shifting the meaning slightly from hunting to targeting.

principally aim for

Highlights the main intention or goal, using "aim for" as a directional pursuit.

mostly go after

Replaces "hunt" with a more informal phrasal verb, suggesting a less formal pursuit.

generally search for

Uses a broader term for seeking, making it applicable to non-literal hunting contexts.

predominantly track

Shifts the focus to the act of following or tracing, suitable for scenarios involving tracking something.

focus primarily on

Changes the structure to emphasize the area of focus, rather than the act of hunting or seeking.

concentrate mainly on

Highlights the concentration of effort, suitable for situations where effort is focused on a key objective.

specialize in hunting

Implies that the subject has hunting as a specific specialization.

FAQs

How can I use "mainly hunt" in a sentence?

You can use "mainly hunt" to describe the primary prey or target of a predator or hunter. For example: "Falcons "mainly hunt" other birds in flight".

What are some alternatives to "mainly hunt"?

Alternatives to "mainly hunt" include phrases like "primarily seek", "chiefly pursue", or "largely target", depending on the context.

Is it grammatically correct to say "mainly hunt"?

Yes, "mainly hunt" is grammatically correct and understandable. It indicates that hunting is the primary activity, although not necessarily the only one.

What's the difference between "mainly hunt" and "exclusively hunt"?

"Mainly hunt" implies that hunting is the principal activity, but other activities may occur. "Exclusively hunt", on the other hand, indicates that hunting is the only activity, with no other significant behaviors.