pries

Pries is the third-person singular present tense of the verb pry. The verb pry has two main senses. In a physical sense, to pry means to use leverage to open, lift, or remove something, typically with a tool such as a crowbar. For example, a crowbar pries the lid off a container. In a social sense, to pry means to inquire impertinently into someone’s private affairs or to meddle. For example, she pries into her coworkers’ personal lives.

Grammatically, pry is a regular verb with the principal parts: present pries, past pried, and present participle prying. The noun form pry is less common in everyday use, but it can refer to an act of prying or to a tool used for prying.

Usage notes emphasize a distinction between the two senses. The physical sense is generally neutral and describes a mechanical action. The social sense often carries a negative connotation, implying intrusion or nosiness. The word can appear in phrases such as “pry into,” “prying questions,” or “pry bar,” depending on the context.

Etymology for pry traces back to Middle English prien, with uncertain origins; it is likely related to older Germanic roots associated with peering or forcing apart. Over time, the sense broadened from physical leverage to the figurative sense of intrusive questioning.

See also: pry, prying, pried, prying, nosiness, pry bar.