pry¹ Definition
pry (prī)
noun pl. pries
- a tool for raising or moving something by leverage; lever, crowbar, etc.
- leverage
Etymology: back-form. < prize
transitive verb pried, pry′·ing
- to raise, move, or force with a pry
- to draw forth or obtain with difficulty to pry money from a miser
pry² Definition
pry (prī)
intransitive verb pried, pry′·ing
to look closely and inquisitively or inquire presumptuously; peer or snoop
Etymology: ME prien < ?
noun pl. pries
- the act of prying
- a person who is improperly inquisitive
pry Synonyms
pry
v.
To move with a lever
push, lift, raise, pull, prize, move, tilt, hoist, heave, uplift, upraise, elevate, turn out, jimmy*; see also force 2, open 2.To endeavor to discover; often used with into
search, ferret out, seek, ransack, reconnoiter, peep, peer, peek, snoop, gaze, look closely, spy, stare, gape, nose, be curious, inquire, stick one's nose in*, rubber*, rubberneck*; see also hunt 2, meddle 1.
pry Usage Examples
Object
- eye: Two women living alone fall prey to the prying eyes of a lone young man.
- finger: The wrap is strong enough to defy any little prying fingers!
- hand: Keep your valuable gear safe from prying hands or exploding zipper's.
- sibling: Children like having a place to keep their private belongings safe from prying siblings too - particularly in shared bedrooms.
- lens: Shortly we were all moved outside again with all four cars lined up facing the building, this time away from any prying lens.
- information: I'm sure that there are many other tricks and means for prying information out of an obscure file.
Preposition: into
- people: It could be used to spy on citizens, to pry into people 's personal lives and to control ' troublesome ' protesters.
- secret: I'm sure I have no wish to pry into the secrets of this young man or yourself.
- matter: A desire to know and pry into such matters brings forth no fruit.
Modifies a noun
bar: At the opposite end to the head a pry bar which can be used to lever wayward boards into place.
Modifying Another Word
- loose: I could spend my whole life prying loose the secrets of the insane.
- carefully: Using the small flat head screw driver, carefully pry the connector off starting on the sit without the bare pins exposed.
- not: They may ask you about your hobbies don't worry - they are not prying!
- n't: Show an interest in what your teenager is doing at school and out of school but do n't pry into their personal lives.
- gently: With a flat blade screwdriver this can be gently pried out.
Followed by an intransitive particle
- open: I was told to open my legs, I couldn't, there came the knife and my legs were pried open.
- up: Push the fork into the ground using your foot and pry up to loosen the layer.
Followed by a transitive particle
Browse dictionary entries near pry
- ‹ Prv
- ‹ Prut
- ‹ prussic acid
- ‹ prussiate
- ‹ Prussianism
- ‹ Prussian blue
- ‹ Prussian
- ‹ Prussia
- ‹ Prus
- ‹ pruritus
- pryer ›
- prying ›
- Prynne,William ›
- Pryor, Richard ›
- Przewalski's horse ›
- ps ›
- Psa ›
- PSA prepayment speed ›
- psalm ›
- psalmbook ›

