prie

[ pree ]
/ pri /

noun, verb (used with object) Scot. and North England.

pree.

Definition for pried (2 of 4)

pry 1
[ prahy ]
/ praɪ /

verb (used without object), pried, pry·ing.

to inquire impertinently or unnecessarily into something: to pry into the personal affairs of others.
to look closely or curiously; peer; peep.

noun, plural pries.

an impertinently inquisitive person.
an act of prying.

Origin of pry

1
1275–1325; Middle English pryen, prien < ?

Definition for pried (3 of 4)

pry 2
[ prahy ]
/ praɪ /

verb (used with object), pried, pry·ing.

to move, raise, or open by leverage.
to get, separate, or ferret out with difficulty: to pry a secret out of someone; We finally pried them away from the TV.

noun, plural pries.

a tool, as a crowbar, for raising, moving, or opening something by leverage.
the leverage exerted.

Origin of pry

2
1800–10; back formation from prize3, taken as a plural noun or 3rd person singular verb

Definition for pried (4 of 4)

pree

or prie

[ pree ]
/ pri /
Scot. and North England

noun

a test, trial, or taste; a test by sampling.

verb (used with object), preed, pree·ing.

to try, test, or taste.

Origin of pree

1690–1700; shortened form of preive, Middle English preve (noun), preven (v.) < Old French pr(o)eve, preuver; see prove

Example sentences from the Web for pried

British Dictionary definitions for pried (1 of 2)

pry 1
/ (praɪ) /

verb pries, prying or pried

(intr often foll by into) to make an impertinent or uninvited inquiry (about a private matter, topic, etc)

noun plural pries

the act of prying
a person who pries

Word Origin for pry

C14: of unknown origin

British Dictionary definitions for pried (2 of 2)

pry 2
/ (praɪ) /

verb pries, prying or pried

to force open by levering
US and Canadian to extract or obtain with difficulty they had to pry the news out of him
Equivalent term (in Britain and other countries): prise

Word Origin for pry

C14: of unknown origin