prying Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun offensive inquisitiveness
    nosiness; snoopiness.
  2. verb to move or force, especially in an effort to get something open
    lever; prise; jimmy; pry; prize.
    • The burglar jimmied the lock": "Raccoons managed to pry the lid off the garbage pail
  3. verb be nosey
    pry.
    • Don't pry into my personal matters!
  4. verb search or inquire in a meddlesome way
    horn in; intrude; poke; pry; nose.
    • This guy is always nosing around the office
  5. verb make an uninvited or presumptuous inquiry
    prise; pry.
    • They pried the information out of him
  6. adjective satellite offensively curious or inquisitive
    nosy; snoopy; nosey.
    • curious about the neighbor's doings
    • he flipped through my letters in his nosy way
    • prying eyes
    • the snoopy neighbor watched us all day

WordNet


Pry"ing adjective
Definitions
  1. Inspecting closely or impertinently. Syn. -- Inquisitive; curious. See Inquisitive.

Webster 1913