pry
/pɹaɪ/ verb C1- To peer closely and curiously, especially at something closed or not public.
- To inquire into something that does not concern one; to be nosy; to snoop. · I don't mean to pry, but could you tell me where you got that scarf?· to pry into someone's affairs
He/she/it pries · Past pried · Past participle pried · -ing form prying
Verb forms
- Base form
- pry
- He/she/it
- pries
- Past
- pried
- Past participle
- pried
- -ing form
- prying
From the library
While he lamented and bewailed his sores and bruises, and cried loudly for help, a neighbor ran to the well, and learning what had happened said: “Hark ye, old fellow, why, in striving to pry into what is in heaven, do you not manage to see what is on earth?”
Holmes pried it open with his chisel.
When he believed that the right moment had arrived, he took the knife, pried open the teeth, which offered less resistance than before, counted one after the other twelve drops, and watched; the phial contained, perhaps, twice as much more.
Where your calling is more open to criticism is when you pry into the secrets of private individuals, when you rake up family matters which are better hidden, and when you incidentally waste the time of men who are more busy than yourself.
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