prise

C2 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /pɹaɪz/ See IPA manual

Freq #57258

Meanings

1

verb
To force something open or apart using a lever or tool.

He used a screwdriver to prise open the rusty lid.
2

verb
To get information or something hard to obtain out of someone with effort.

It took hours to prise the truth out of him.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to force something open or... prize pry

Word family

Forms prisedprisesprising

Related forms price

Etymology

From the Middle English noun prise (“taking of something”), from Old French prise (“seizure; taking; capture”), past participle of prendre (“to take”). Doublet of prize.

prise Middle English

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities

External links

# prise

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /pɹaɪz/
**Frequency rank:** 57258

## Meanings
1. To force something open or apart using a lever or tool.
2. To get information or something hard to obtain out of someone with effort.

## Examples
- He used a screwdriver to prise open the rusty lid.
- It took hours to prise the truth out of him.

## Related Forms
- price

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: prise

## Etymology
From the Middle English noun prise (“taking of something”), from Old French prise (“seizure; taking; capture”), past participle of prendre (“to take”). Doublet of prize.

## AI Etymology
Prise is from the Middle English noun prise (“taking of something”), from Old French prise (“seizure; taking; capture”), past participle of prendre (“to take”). Doublet of prize. Important recorded forms include prise (Old French). Current senses include to force something open or apart using a lever or tool and to get information or something hard to obtain out of someone with effort. The wider family includes related words such as price.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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