Prise

//pɹaɪz// noun, verb

noun, verb ·Uncommon ·Advanced level

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    An enterprise or adventure. obsolete

    "In which I may record the memory Of my loves conquest, peerlesse beauties prise"

  2. 2
    Obsolete form of prize. alt-of, obsolete
Verb
  1. 1
    To force (open) with a lever; to pry.

    "I think he must have been trying to prise open that box yonder when he was attacked."

  2. 2
    regard highly; think much of wordnet
  3. 3
    To extract something that is difficult to obtain.

    "prise information out of someone"

  4. 4
    to move or force, especially in an effort to get something open wordnet
  5. 5
    make an uninvited or presumptuous inquiry wordnet

Synonyms

All synonyms
esteemforcejimmyleverprizepry

Example

More examples

"They were unable to prise open the box because it was too rusty."

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.

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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.