pry

• POS: Noun, Verb (usu participle)

CIDE DICTIONARY

pry, n. [Corrupted fr. prize a lever. See Prize, n.].

 A lever; also, leverage.  [1913 Webster]

Pry pole, the pole which forms the prop of a hoisting gin, and stands facing the windlass.

pry, v. t. 

 To raise or move, or attempt to raise or move, with a pry or lever; to prize.  [1913 Webster]

pry, v. i. [OE. prien. Cf. Peer to peep.].

 To peep narrowly; to gaze; to inspect closely; to attempt to discover something by a scrutinizing curiosity; -- often implying reproach.  Chaucer.  [1913 Webster]
"Watch thou and wake when others be asleep,
To pry into the secrets of the state."  [1913 Webster]

pry, n. 

 Curious inspection; impertinent peeping.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

pry, v.intr. (pries, pried)
1 (usu. foll. by into) inquire impertinently (into a person's private affairs etc.).
2 (usu. foll. by into, about, etc.) look or peer inquisitively.

Derivative

prying adj. pryingly adv.

pry, v.tr. (pries, pried) US (often foll. by out of, open, etc.) = PRISE.

Etymology

PRISE taken as pries 3rd sing. pres.

THESAURUS

pry

Paul Pry, Paul-Pry, Peeping Tom, backseat driver, bar, beam, beat the bushes, bend the eyes, boom, burrow, busybody, cant hook, claw bar, crank, crow, crowbar, delve, delve into, dig, dig into, direct the eyes, disengage, disjoin, divide, eavesdropper, elevate, explore, fathom, fool with, forage, frisk, fulcrumage, get a foothold, get leverage, go into, go through, gossip, handspike, hoist, hunt, indagate, inquirer, inquisitive, inquisitor, intermeddle, intermeddler, investigate, iron crow, jimmy, kibitz, kibitzer, lever, leverage, lift, limb, look, look around, look into, look round, look through, marlinespike, meddle, meddle with, meddler, mess with, monkey with, mouse, nose, nose around, nosy Parker, outrigger, peavey, pedal, peek, peep, peer, peer into, pick up, pinch bar, play peekaboo, plumb, poke, poke around, poke into, prier, prize, probe, pry into, querier, querist, questioner, quidnunc, raise, rear, research, ripping bar, root, rubberneck, rubbernecker, scopophiliac, search, search into, search through, separate, sift, sightseer, smell around, snook, snoop, snooper, sound, spar, spy, take a peep, take up, tamper with, treadle, turn, twist, uphold, uplift, upraise, uprear, voyeur, wedge, wrecking bar, yenta

ROGET THESAURUS

pry

Vision

VB see, behold, discern, perceive, have in sight, descry, sight, make out, discover, distinguish, recognize, spy, espy, ken, get a sight of, have a sight of, catch a sight of, get a glimpse of, have a glimpse of, catch a glimpse of, command a view of, witness, contemplate, speculate, cast the eyes on, set the eyes on, be a spectator of, look on, see sights, see at a glance, look, view, eye, lift up the eyes, open one's eye, look at, look on, look upon, look over, look about one, look round, survey, scan, inspect, run the eye over, run the eye through, reconnoiter, glance round, glance on, glance over turn one's looks upon, bend one's looks upon, direct the eyes to, turn the eyes on, cast a glance, observe, watch, see with one's own eyes, watch for, peep, peer, pry, take a peep, play at bopeep, look full in the face, look hard at, look intently, strain one's eyes, fix the eyes upon, rivet the eyes upon, stare, gaze, pore over, gloat on, leer, ogle, glare, goggle, cock the eye, squint, gloat, look askance.

Curiosity

VB be curious, take an interest in, stare, gape, prick up the ears, see sights, lionize, pry, nose, rubberneck.

Inquiry

VB make inquiry, inquire, ask, seek, search, look for, look about for, look out for, scan, reconnoiter, explore, sound, rummage, ransack, pry, peer, look round, look over, go over, look through, go through, spy, overhaul, ask about, inquire about, scratch the head, slap the forehead, look into every hole and corner, peer into every hole and corner, pry into every hole and corner, nose, trace up, search out, hunt down, hunt out, fish out, ferret out, unearth, leave no stone unturned, seek a clue, seek a clew, hunt, track, trail, mouse, dodge, trace, follow the trail, follow the scent, pursue, beat up one's quarters, fish for, feel for, investigate, take up an inquiry, institute an inquiry, pursue an inquiry, follow up an inquiry, conduct an inquiry, carry on an inquiry, carry out an inquiry, prosecute an inquiry, look at, look into, preexamine, discuss, canvass, agitate, examine, study, consider, calculate, dip into, dive into, delve into, go deep into, make sure of, probe, sound, fathom, probe to the bottom, probe to the quick, scrutinize, analyze, anatomize, dissect, parse, resolve, sift, winnow, view in all its phases, try in all its phases, thresh out, bring in question, bring into question, subject to examination, put to the proof, audit, tax, pass in review, take into consideration, take counsel, question, demand, put the question, pop the question, propose the question, propound the question, moot the question, start the question, raise the question, stir the question, suggest the question, put forth the question, ventilate the question, grapple with the question, go into a question, question, put to the question, interrogate, pump, subject to interrogation, subject to examination, cross-question, cross-examine, press for an answer, give the third degree, put to the inquisition, dodge, catechize, require an answer, pick the brains of, suck the brains of, feel the pulse, get the lay of the land, see how the wind is blowing, put one's ear to the ground, be in question, undergo examination.