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to discover

to discover

478 1.0
To make secret information known to other people
  • verb
  • /dɪsˈkʌvər/
translation icon : revelar
  • In her research, she discovered some fascinating information about ancient civilizations.
  • discover evidence

Examples

  • Binoculars and telescopes will also enable you to discover many other binary stars.

    Academic text (1999)
  • They've discovered a cure for that.

  • And doing so, we discovered yet another problem.

  • Your father had discovered the truth behind the man he was working for.

  • I discovered some information about the mayor a while back.

  • So how did you discover Pepper was the author of the secret letter?

  • We must discover how widespread this infection is.

  • During a spring 2009 visit to Shahdad, he discovered a small stone container lying on the ground.

    Academic text (2011)
  • And you'll discover that flattery goes a long way.

  • And I feel like I've discovered actually what my burnout is.

Synonyms

to reveal
vsto discover
2.3

Show something that was hidden or secret

is more about sharing information than focusing on physical visibility
to break
vsto discover
  • Literature
3.6

To make news known quickly

does not require suddenness or that events begin at the same time
to expose
vsto discover
342 4.1

Reveal hidden facts or bad actions to people

does not always imply making hidden matters fully obvious to everyone
to uncover
vsto discover
243 3.5

Reveal secret facts to the public

can apply to making information known to anyone, not only public disclosure
to disclose
vsto discover
234 4.1

To tell people information that was secret

aims to make that information known more widely or generally
to leak
vsto discover
219 4.1

To tell secret information to the public without permission

may apply to telling only a few people rather than public disclosure
to give away
vsto discover
114 3.4

Tell a secret on purpose or by accident

is neutral about intent and does not stress accidental or deliberate disclosure
to unveil
vsto discover
109 4.1

To make something known for the first time

can be used for later revelations, not only first disclosures
to divulge
vsto discover
45 6.2

To tell secret or private information to people

is broader covering any hidden information not limited to private matters
to let out
vsto discover
32 3.7

Tell secret or private information to other people

is the same meaning but presented in a different expression
to unearth
vsto discover
23 4.4

To find hidden facts or things by careful searching

focuses on making information known publicly rather than the act of finding it
to bring to light
vsto discover
20 3.7

To show facts that were hidden before

is similar but applies to new information more generally not only facts
to spill the beans
vsto discover
  • Informal
18 6.0

Tell a secret by accident before others know

is neutral about timing and intent, not necessarily accidental or premature
to bring out
vsto discover
8 3.7

Make secret information known to the public

is broader covering making information known to any audience not only public
to lift the veil
vsto discover
4 7.1

To reveal information that was previously hidden

is the straightforward act of making things known without that imagery
to lay bare
vsto discover
2 5.5

To show something hidden so people can see it

may reveal things without doing so openly or in full
to unbury
vsto discover
1 6.5

To reveal something hidden or forgotten

is used mainly for sharing hidden information rather than uncovering forgotten things
to uncloak
vsto discover
1 7.7

To make something hidden become visible by removing a cover or showing the truth

is more general about making information known, not about physical removal

Antonyms

282 3.7

To hide something so others cannot see or find it

How Public

to publicize
94 4.0
to announce
1.5
to discover
478 1.0
to reveal
2.3
to disclose
234 4.1
leak
172 4.8

Surface Forms

discover infinitive
discovered past
discovered past participle
discovering present participle
discovers third person singular

Morphology

discover = cover (semi-transparent) = dis + cover

The older sense 'uncover' is still recoverable from 'dis-' plus 'cover', but the given sense 'make known' is a metaphorical extension rather than a fully literal one.

Etymology

Discover can also mean to make a secret known because it comes from dis- and cover, so revealing hidden information is like 'taking the cover off' and showing it to others.