prise

[prahyz]

verb (used with object), prised, pris·ing, noun

prize³.

Can be confusedprise prize

prize

or prise

[prahyz]

verb (used with object), prized, priz·ing.

pry².

noun

leverage.

a lever.

Origin of prize

1350–1400; Middle English prise < Middle French: a hold, grasp < Latin pre(hē)nsa. See prize¹

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for prised

Contemporary Examples of prised

The door was prised open by the editor of The American Prospect, Michael Tomasky, and we all spilled out, still furiously bonding.
D.C. Diary
Tina Brown
January 18, 2009

Historical Examples of prised

With the point of nurse's scissors we prised the viands from the platters.
The Magic City
Edith Nesbit
Vashti prised at a loose stone from the wall with the point of her sunshade.
Major Vigoureux
A. T. Quiller-Couch
He took Pinto's knife from his hand and prised one of the discs loose.
Jack O' Judgment
Edgar Wallace
They raked out his fire, and prised up a loose board in the floor.
The Cock-House at Fellsgarth
Talbot Baines Reed
Directly the valves were prised apart the pearl fell into my hand.
Tropic Days
E. J. Banfield

British Dictionary definitions for prised

prize

noun

a reward or honour for victory or for having won a contest, competition, etc
(as modifier)prize jockey; prize essay

something given to the winner of any game of chance, lottery, etc

something striven for

any valuable property captured in time of war, esp a vessel

Word Origin for prize

C14: from Old French prise a capture, from Latin prehendere to seize; influenced also by Middle English prise reward; see price

prize

verb

(tr) to esteem greatly; value highly

Word Origin for prize

C15 prise, from Old French preisier to praise

prize

verb, noun

a variant spelling of prise

prise

prize

verb (tr)

to force open by levering

to extract or obtain with difficultythey had to prise the news out of him

noun

rare, or dialect a tool involving leverage in its use or the leverage so employed

US and Canadian equivalent: pry

Word Origin for prise

C17: from Old French prise a taking, from prendre to take, from Latin prehendere; see prize 1

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for prised

prize

n.1

"reward," prise (c.1300 in this sense), from Old French pris "price, value, worth; reward" (see price (n.)). As an adjective, "worthy of a prize," from 1803. The spelling with -z- is from late 16c. Prize-fighter is from 1703; prize-fight from 1730 (prize-fighter from 1785).

prize

n.2

"something taken by force," mid-13c., prise "a taking, holding," from Old French prise "a taking, seizing, holding," noun use of fem. past participle of prendre "to take, seize," from Latin prendere, contraction of prehendere "lay hold of, grasp, seize, catch" (see prehensile). Especially of ships captured at sea (1510s). The spelling with -z- is from late 16c.

prize

"to estimate," 1580s, alteration of Middle English prisen "to prize, value" (late 14c.), from stem of Old French preisier "to praise" (see praise (v.)). Related: Prized; prizing.