pry
pry
Pronunciation
ˈiː.ɡəl
Syllable Breakdown:
ˈiː - This represents the first syllable.
ˈ - This indicates primary stress, meaning this syllable is pronounced with the most emphasis.
iː - Represents the long /iː/ vowel sound, as in "be" or "see."
ɡəl - This represents the second syllable.
ɡ - Represents the voiced velar stop /ɡ/, as in "go" or "get."
əl - Represents the vowel-consonant combination /əl/, which often sounds like a schwa (/ə/) followed by an /l/ sound.
Word Form Variations
The word form variations for "eagle" are:
Singular: eagle
Plural: eagles
There are also some less common forms:
Eagled: This is the past tense and past participle form of the verb "to eagle," which means to hunt or capture with an eagle.
Eagling: This refers to a young eagle.
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Verb
Definition: To use force to move or open something, often something that is stuck or closed tightly.
Synonyms: Lever, force, wrench, prise (British), jimmy
Antonyms: Close, shut, seal, fasten
Example: "He used a crowbar to pry open the crate."
Definition: To inquire into someone's private affairs in a way that is unwanted or intrusive.
Synonyms: Snoop, meddle, interfere, intrude, probe
Antonyms: Ignore, disregard, neglect, respect privacy
Example: "She was tired of him prying into her personal life."
Noun
Definition: A tool used for prying something open or apart.
Synonyms: Lever, crowbar, jimmy
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms for the tool itself)
Example: "He used a pry to remove the nails from the board."
While "pry" can function as both a noun and a verb, it doesn't have an adjectival or adverbial form.
Examples of Use
Books:
Fiction: "He pried the lid off the ancient chest, dust swirling around him." (Any adventure novel featuring treasure, like "Treasure Island" by Robert Louis Stevenson)
Non-fiction: "The journalist worked tirelessly to pry the truth from the tight-lipped officials." (Investigative journalism books like "All the President's Men" by Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward)
Newspapers:
"Firefighters used specialized tools to pry open the wreckage and rescue the trapped driver." (Any local news report about a car accident)
"The opposition party is attempting to pry loose the government's grip on power." (Political news coverage in publications like The New York Times or The Guardian)
Online Publications:
"Tech experts managed to pry apart the new smartphone to analyze its internal components." (Technology blogs like iFixit or CNET)
"Privacy advocates warn against apps that pry into users' personal data." (Digital rights articles on websites like Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) or Access Now)
Entertainment:
Movies: A scene in a heist film where thieves pry open a vault door. (e.g., "Ocean's Eleven")
TV shows: A detective drama where investigators pry a confession from a suspect. (e.g., "Law & Order")
Video games: A puzzle game where players need to pry open objects to find clues. (e.g., "The Room" series)
General Public Discourse:
Social media: "Trying to pry my kids away from their screens for some family time." (Everyday conversations on platforms like Twitter or Facebook)
Everyday conversations: "I had to pry that information out of him!" (Casual conversation about getting someone to share something reluctantly)
10 Famous Quotes Using Pry
"Don’t pry into a person’s personal life unless they invite you in." — Unknown (common etiquette saying, often cited in advice columns)
"We all have our secrets. It’s not our job to pry them loose." — Stephen King
"I don’t pry into anyone’s personal life — I don’t even pry into my own." — Bette Midler (humorous quip)
"If you pry too much into the past, you might lose the present." — Unknown (popular motivational quote)
"Curiosity is not a sin... but we should exercise caution with our curiosity. Yes, indeed. In fact, we should exercise great caution. But sometimes we must pry, we must search." — Albus Dumbledore (J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire)
"I have no wish to pry into your personal life." — Sherlock Holmes (Arthur Conan Doyle, various adaptations and stories)
"Do not pry into the affairs of others; curiosity may lead you to a snake." — Russian Proverb
"I’ll pry the truth from you, if I must." — William Shakespeare, King Lear (paraphrased, original line: “I’ll know your business, that I will”)
"We pry too deeply into the hearts of others when we have not yet faced our own." — Carl Jung (paraphrased from his writings on shadow psychology)
"One of the greatest freedoms of maturity is the choice not to pry." — Unknown (popular modern wisdom quote)
Etymology
The word "pry" actually has two separate origins and meanings, which can make it a bit confusing!
1. Pry (to look closely)
Imagine someone squinting or peering closely at something. That's the original sense of "pry." It comes from an old English word, "prien," which meant to look closely or peep. Think of it like trying to "pry" information from a situation by observing carefully. This meaning popped up around the 1300s.
2. Pry (to move with force)
This meaning is newer, from the 1800s. It's related to the word "prize," which used to mean a lever or tool for lifting. So, "to pry" something open is like using a lever to force it apart.
In a nutshell:
The "peeking" kind of pry is older and has to do with close observation.
The "lifting" kind of pry is newer and relates to using force to move something.
Even though they seem different, both meanings share the idea of getting something that's not easily accessible. Whether it's hidden information or a stuck lid, you're "prying" it out!
Phrases + Idioms Containing Pry
Phrases with "pry"
Pry open: This is quite literal, like "pry open a can" or "pry open a window."
Pry into: This refers to the inquisitive meaning, like "pry into someone's personal life."
Pry loose: This can be literal (pry loose a stuck bolt) or figurative (pry loose information from someone).
Pry away: Often used with "from," like "pry the children away from their screens."
Idioms with "pry" (lesser-known)
"Pry something out of someone's cold, dead hands": This hyperbolic phrase means someone is extremely unwilling to give something up.
Idioms with synonyms for "pry"
"Stick your nose into someone's business": Similar to "pry into," meaning to be nosy.
"Worm your way into someone's confidence": To gain trust through subtle and perhaps manipulative means, with the intent to learn secrets.
"Ferret out the truth": To search diligently for hidden information.
"Winkle out a secret": To extract information with persistence, like a winkling a snail from its shell.
Original phrases with "pry"
"Pry open the doors of opportunity": To create chances for oneself.
"Pry your mind open to new possibilities": To be receptive to new ideas.
While "pry" itself might not be an idiom superstar, it still contributes to some expressive phrases, and its synonyms help us capture those ideas of forceful investigation or unwelcome curiosity!
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of pry from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
