Meaning & Definition of word "Pry"
Pry
/praɪ/
noun:
- 1. An act of prying; an inquiry into someone's private affairs.
- Example: Her prys into my personal life made me uncomfortable.
verb:
- 1. To inquire too closely into someone's private affairs.
- Example: I don't mean to pry, but I noticed you've been upset lately.
- 2. To force open or apart with something sharp or a tool.
- Example: He had to pry the lid off the can with a screwdriver.
Etymology
●Middle English 'prien', from Old English 'prygan'.
Common Phrases and Expressions
pry into:
to investigate someone's private life or affairs
pry open:
to force something open
keep your nose out of other people's business:
to not interfere in someone else's affairs
Related Words
snoop:
to secretly look at someone else's information or belongings
inquisitive:
having a strong desire to know or learn about things
nosy:
having a tendency to pry into others' affairs
Slang Meanings of pry
Meaning: to be overly curious about someone's life
● Example Sentence: Stop being so nosy and let them have their privacy.
Meaning: to investigate something informally or behind the scenes
● Example Sentence: I heard you were prying into Dave's past.