raiding

Everyday

1. Raiding is making a sudden attack on a place, usually to steal things or catch people. tree →
2. (police) Police raiding a building means going in suddenly to search it or arrest people. tree →
3. (informal, humorous) Raiding the fridge or the biscuit tin means taking food from it, often secretly. tree →

In the lessons

In history lessons, Vikings were raiding monasteries and towns along the coasts of Britain and Ireland; "raiding parties" were groups sent to attack. In the news, police are raiding a house when they search it suddenly. At home, kids joke about raiding the fridge at night. In games, raiding means attacking an enemy base.

Examples

• The Vikings were raiding villages along the coast. tree →
• Police were raiding the house at dawn. tree →
• My brother was caught raiding the biscuit tin. tree →
• Foxes keep raiding our bins at night. tree →
• The raiding party came by boat. tree →
• We went raiding the dressing-up box for costumes. tree →
• Squirrels were raiding the bird feeder again. tree →

Note

Raid + ing = raiding (no change). The thing you raid comes straight after: raiding the fridge (no "on"). A "raider" is a person who raids. The fridge sense is joking and not a crime.