Definition of pry - Reverso English Dictionary
Verb
1.
toolstr./intr. US use leverage to open or move somethingtr./intr. US
- He used a tool to pry the lid open.
2.
intrudeintr. US inquire too closely into a person's private affairsintr. US
- He didn't like to pry into his friend's personal life..
3.
curious lookintr. US look closely and curiously at somethingintr. US
- She tried to pry into the dark room.
Noun
1.
lever toolUS tool used for levering or liftingUS
- He used a pry to open the crate.
2.
curious lookUS act of looking closely and curiouslyUS
- He took a pry through the keyhole.
Images of pry
tool used for levering or lifting
Expressions with pry
💡 Discover popular phrases, idioms, collocations, or phrasal verbs. Click any expression to learn more, listen to its pronunciation, or save it to your favorites.
look for private information in a nosy way
He likes to pry around in other people's business.
investigate into private matters without permission
She tends to pry into her neighbors' personal lives.
remove something from a tight place using force
He tried to pry the nail out of the wood.
sturdy metal lever with a tapered end for forcing things apart
He used a pry bar to lift the nailed board from the floor.
Origin of pry
Old Norse, prýja (to adorn)
Terms with pry included in their meaning
💡 A powerful way to uncover related words, idioms, and expressions linked by the same idea — and explore meaning beyond exact word matches.
snooping
snoop or pry into something
prying
pry open using a metal lever
mechanics
pry objects using a long bar for extra force
social behavior
meddle or pry into others' affairs
prying tool
tool used to pry or move heavy objects
forceful entry
pry open doors or containers using a metal crowbar
pry behavior
look into other people's business in a nosy way
Examples of pry in a sentence
They tried to pry the old nails out of the wood. She tried not to pry into her colleague's business. Reporters often pry into the lives of celebrities. He tried to pry into her personal life. They pried into the old attic for hidden treasures. The mechanic grabbed a pry to lift the car hood.
A pry was essential for removing the old floorboards. She gave a quick pry into the box. His pry into her diary was unwelcome.
View all translations of pry
Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.
- French:faire levier, levier, ...
- German:aufhebeln, Brecheisen, ...
- Italian:fare leva, leva, ...
- Spanish:hacer palanca, palanca, ...
- Portuguese:forçar, pé de cabra, ...
- Chinese:撬开, 撬棍, ...
- Japanese:こじ開ける, てこ, ...
- Arabic:نَزَعَ, عَتَلَة, ...
- Hebrew:לְחַלֵּץ, לוֹם, ...
- Russian:вскрывать, лом, ...
- Ukrainian:відкривати, лом, ...
- Hindi:उचकाकर खोलना, प्राइ, ...
icon to discover related terms: analogies, antonyms, common collocates, words with same roots, umbrella terms… Try with happening or hunch.
icon next to the first example to see two additional options and learn to use new vocabulary naturally.
icon to save words you want to revisit. You can also save a specific meaning by clicking on the