Pronunciation: /praɪ/
noun a tool used for levering or forcing something open
A1 I used a small pry to open the paint can.
A2 The detective used a pry to loosen the window and gain entry into the house.
B1 The mechanic used a pry to remove the stubborn bolt.
B2 She carefully inserted the pry between the door and the frame to open it quietly.
C1 The burglar used a pry to break into the safe and steal the valuable jewels.
C2 The archaeologist carefully used a pry to uncover the ancient artifact buried in the ground.
verb to inquire too closely into a person's private affairs
A1 She tried to pry open the stuck door with a screwdriver.
A2 The detective had to pry information out of the reluctant witness.
B1 He used a crowbar to pry the lid off the old rusty chest.
B2 The journalist tried to pry into the politician's personal life for a scandalous story.
C1 The hacker attempted to pry sensitive data from the company's secure server.
C2 The therapist knew how to gently pry into the deep-seated issues of her patients.
formal The detective tried to pry information from the suspect during the interrogation.
informal I tried to pry the truth out of my friend, but she wouldn't budge.
slang I saw my nosy neighbor trying to pry into our business again.
figurative It's hard to pry open a closed mind and change someone's beliefs.
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