to prize
1
9.1
- verb
- /praɪz/
- I hurried to Penny Gold, drew my pocketknife, and prized out the gravel.
- prize open
- prize apart
- try to prize
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Watch on YouTubeNobel will ring when I prize you out of the frozen ground.
- Nobel will ring when I prize you out of the frozen ground.
Examples
-
- We should be able to prize this open.
-
Took me ages to prize open the box.
-
Right now it's still not working, so we might well have to prize this one apart.
-
We tried to prize open the door of the fish tank... ...because we thought we could make a phone call.
-
Use your clasp knife to prize open the screen.
Fiction book (1992) -
One porter drew a rough, thick blade from his rope belt and began to prize up the lid.
Fiction book (1999) -
Through the open window, he could hear the squeak of the lever arm used to prize the air-cured hands of tobacco into the hogsheads.
Fiction book (2002) -
We need to prize the lid off this can to see what's inside.
-
He used a crowbar to prize open the stubborn door.
-
With a little effort, she managed to prize the heavy box apart.
Synonyms
81
4.4
Use force with a tool to open or move something that is stuck
20
6.6
To push into a place using physical strength or influence
20
4.2
To twist or pull something hard to remove it
5
4.9
To move something by using a long bar to lift it
3
6.3
To take control of a place by using violence
2
7.7
Use a tool or force to open something that is stuck
2
8.6
To force open a door or window with a small metal bar
1
4.6
Pull a door quickly and hard to open it
Idioms
Compounds
152
2.8
An annual international award for important work in science, literature, economics, or peace
78
3.7
A famous American award given each year for very good journalism, books or music
How Forceful
Surface Forms
Etymology
Prize as a verb (to force open) is like the familiar verb pry and comes from an old idea of 'taking', so it gives the picture of using a tool to 'take' a lid or door open.