Skip to main content
to prize

to prize

7 9.1
To force something open with a tool like a crowbar
  • verb
  • /praɪz/
translation icon : hacer palanca
  • I hurried to Penny Gold, drew my pocketknife, and prized out the gravel.
  • prize open
  • prize apart
  • try to prize

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

to force
vsto prize
423 6.3

To take control of a place by using violence

is narrower, focusing on using tools and steady pressure to open things
to pry
vsto prize
76 4.4

Use force with a tool to open or move something that is stuck

tends to be more controlled and tool based than quick violent pulls
to muscle
vsto prize
  • Informal
39 6.6

To push into a place using physical strength or influence

relies more on tools and careful motion than on raw bodily strength
to wrench
vsto prize
33 4.2

To twist or pull something hard to remove it

is more about steady tool pressure and careful movement than sudden twisting
to jimmy
vsto prize
8 8.6

To force open a door or window with a small metal bar

is similar but does not imply illegality or a specific tool
to lever
vsto prize
3 4.9

To move something by using a long bar to lift it

is broader, covering many ways of using tools or strength to open things
to prise
vsto prize
  • UK
1 7.7

Use a tool or force to open something that is stuck

is more about steady careful tool use than sudden violent action
to yank the door open
vsto prize
  • Informal
1 4.6

Pull a door quickly and hard to open it

often involves steady tool action rather than a single abrupt pull

Idioms

8.1

Something very obvious and easy to guess

Compounds

55 3.7

A famous American award given each year for very good journalism, books or music

34 1.5

A person chosen to receive a prize in a contest or lottery

32 1.0

The top award given to the winner in a competition

28 2.3

Money given to winners of a competition

A young female cow that has won a prize at a farm show

5 2.8

An annual international award for important work in science, literature, economics, or peace

4 2.5

A prize given to people who attend an event, chosen at random

prize fight
  • Archaic
3 3.9

A boxing match between professional boxers to win money

booby prize
  • Informal
2 6.3

A small funny gift for the person who finishes last

big fat prize
  • Informal
1 3.1

A very large and impressive award given to the winner

prize ring
  • Archaic
1 4.9

A square area with ropes where boxers fight

How Forceful

to break open
13 2.1
to prize
7 9.1
to ease
119 2.4

Surface Forms

prize infinitive
prized past
prized past participle
prizing present participle
prizes third person singular

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.