prises

Prises is the plural form of the noun prise, used primarily in French but appearing in English in specialist, historical, or bilingual contexts. The base term has several related meanings, spanning law, everyday speech, and technical vocabulary.

In French, prise (f.) encompasses multiple senses. It can denote an act of taking or seizure, as in prise de guerre (a prize of war). It also means a grip or hold on something, a capture in a game or struggle, and a connection point in electricity—prise électrique or prise de courant refers to an electrical outlet or socket. The plural prises is used when referring to multiple instances of any of these senses, for example, prises électriques or prises de guerre in historical contexts.

In English, prise exists mainly as a borrowed technical term meaning a lever or crowbar used to pry something open. The plural prises would refer to several such tools, though the word is uncommon outside specific mechanical or historical uses. In common usage, “pry bar” or “crowbar” is far more typical. When English speakers encounter the phrase prise de guerre in texts, it is usually anglicized as prize of war rather than kept in the French form.

Etymology and relation to other words: prise comes from the French prendre, “to take.” The word has cognate forms in various Romance languages and appears in specialized vocabulary, bilingual documents, and historical writing. See also: prise électrique (electrical outlet) and prise de guerre (prize of war).