prawn

[ prawn ]

noun

1. any of various shrimplike decapod crustaceans of the genera Palaemon, Penaeus, etc., certain of which are used as food.

verb (used with object)

1. to catch prawns, as for food.

prawn

/ prɔːn /

noun

1. any of various small edible marine decapod crustaceans of the genera Palaemon, Penaeus, etc, having a slender flattened body with a long tail and two pairs of pincers
2. come the raw prawn informal.
   to attempt deception

Derived Forms

• ˈprawner, noun

Other Words From

• prawner noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of prawn¹

1400–50; late Middle English prane, of uncertain origin

Word History and Origins

Origin of prawn¹

C15: of obscure origin

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. come the raw prawn, Australian Slang. to try to impose on or deceive someone (followed by with ).

Example Sentences

Inside a harbourside factory in the capital, a huge catch of prawns is being steamed, shelled and frozen.

From BBC

Restrictions on scallop dredging and prawn trawling required additional legislation which ministers promised to introduce in two stages.

From BBC

Between overfishing, climate change, plastic pollution, and habitat destruction, it’s a bad time to be a prawn, cod, seabird, or whale.

From Salon

He adds that the rivers surrounding the mine are thriving due to copious rainfall and all his reports show that fish, algae and prawns flourish there and are public for anyone to see.

From BBC

Most prawns on American plates are imported, primarily from Asia and Latin America.

From Seattle Times

Related Words

• clam
• conch
• crawfish
• crustacean
• lobster
• mollusk
• mussel
• oyster
• scallop
• shrimp
• snail