pry
Word family nounpryingadverbpryinglyverbpry
pry /praɪ/ verb (pried, prying) 1 [intransitiveI]FIND OUT to try to find out details about someone else’s private life in an impolite way 冒昧地问;打听,探听 I don’t want to pry, but I need to ask you one or two questions. 我不想唐突,不过我需要问你一两个问题。
pry into reporters prying into the affairs of celebrities 打探名人私事的记者
2 [transitiveT always + adverbadv/prepositionprep] especially American EnglishAmEOPEN to force something open, or force it away from something else 撬开,撬起 SYN British English prizepry something open/away/off etc We finally managed to pry the door open with a screwdriver. 我们最后设法用螺丝刀把门撬开了。
3. away from prying eyes PRIVATE/PERSONALin private, where people cannot see what you are doing 私下,避开窥视的目光away from prying eyes• She is finally able to relax with friends, away from prying eyes.• Until the key is used, the contents of the message are locked away from prying eyes. 4 pry something out of somebody/something phrasal verbphr v American EnglishAmE to get money or information from someone with a lot of difficulty 费力地得到〔金钱或信息〕 If you want to know his name, you’ll have to pry it out of her. 如果你想知道他的名字,就必须想法从她那里打听。
Origin pry 1. (1300-1400) Origin unknown
2. (1800-1900) prize “to force up” ((17-21 centuries)), from prize “lever” ((14-20 centuries)), from Old French prise “act of seizing”