Pry Meaning
/pɹaɪ/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
verbTo peer closely and curiously, especially at something closed or not public.
verbTo inquire into something that does not concern one; to be nosy; to snoop.
Sentence Examples
Don't pry into my private life.
Don't pry into the affairs of others.
Tom tried to pry open the box with a crowbar.
CEFR Practice Quiz
She tried to ____ the locked metal box with a crowbar but failed.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
She tried not to ____ into her neighbor's affairs, but the constant noise made it impossible to ignore.
Word Origin & History
The verb is inherited from Middle English prien, pryen (“to look closely, peer into, pry, spy”) [and other forms], from Old English *prīwan, *prēowian (“to look narrowly, to squint at”), attested by Old English beprīwan, beprēwan (“to wink”); further etymology unknown, but probably akin to Old English *prēowot (“closing of the eyes”), attested only in combination – compare prēowthwīl (“blink or twinkling of an eye, moment”), princ (“a wink”): see prink. The noun is derived from the verb.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"[W]omen haue eagles eyes, / To prie euen to the heart, and why not you?"
— 1599 (first performance), [Thomas Dekker, Henry Chettle, William Houghton], The Pleasant Comodie of Patient Grissill. […], London: […] Henry Rocket, […], published 1603; republished Erlangen, Bavaria: […] Fr. Junge (Junge & Sohn), 1893, →OCLC, page 11, lines 293–294:
"[…] to elude, thus wrapt in miſt / Of midnight vapor glide obſcure, and prie / In every Buſh and brake, where hap may finde / The Serpent ſleeping, […]"
— 1667, John Milton, “Book VIII”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC, lines 158–161:
"And choice of studious friends had he / Of Bolton's dear fraternity: / […] / [I]n their cells with him did pry / For other lore,—through strong desire / Searching the earth with chemic fire: […]"
— 1815, William Wordsworth, “Canto First”, in The White Doe of Rylstone; or The Fate of the Nortons. A Poem, London: […] [F]or Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, […], by James Ballantyne and Co., […], →OCLC, page 19:
"Watch thou, and wake when others be aſleepe, / To prie into the ſecrets of the State, […]"
— 1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Sixt, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies. […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i], page 122, column 1:
"We literary hacks are shameless creatures. I believe there's no secret of the human heart into which we wouldn't pry."
— 1908, E[dward] M[organ] Forster, “Possibilities of a Pleasant Outing”, in A Room with a View, London: Edward Arnold, →OCLC, part I, page 73:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
She tried to ____ the locked metal box with a crowbar but failed.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
She tried not to ____ into her neighbor's affairs, but the constant noise made it impossible to ignore.