prowler

[prou-ler] /ˈpraʊ lər/
noun
1.
a person or animal that prowls.
2.
a person who goes stealthily about with some unlawful intention, as to commit a burglary or theft.
Origin of prowler
1510-20; prowl + -er1
Examples from the web for prowler
  • He strutted with the air of a prince and a prowler, the pride in his own beauty offset by a knowing humor.
  • The night prowler is also more exposed to injury and infectious disease.
  • Treat was called out to investigate a prowler report when he accidently stepped in a hole and injured his back.
Word Origin and History for prowler
n.

1510s, proller, agent noun from prowl (v.).

prowler in Technology


(Unix) A daemon that is run periodically (typically once a week) to seek out and erase core files, truncate administrative logfiles, nuke "lost+found" directories, and otherwise clean up the cruft that tends to pile up in the corners of a file system.
See also GFR, reaper, skulker.
(1995-02-14)