prise

C2 Topic:Actions & Processes

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.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

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

Actions & Processes

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
- Actions & Processes

markdown