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deScry - 5 dictionary results

de⋅scry

  [di-skrahy]
Use deScry in a Sentence
–verb (used with object), -scried, -scry⋅ing.
1. to see (something unclear or distant) by looking carefully; discern; espy: The lookout descried land.
2. to discover; perceive; detect.
Origin:
1250–1300; ME descrien < OF de(s)crïer to proclaim, decry. See dis- 1 , cry

Related forms:
de⋅scri⋅er, noun

Synonyms:
1. notice.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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de·scry   (dĭ-skrī')   
tr.v.   de·scried, de·scry·ing, de·scries
  1. To catch sight of (something difficult to discern). See Synonyms at see1.
  2. To discover by careful observation or scrutiny; detect: descried a message of hope in her words.

[Middle English descrien, from Old French descrier, to call, cry out; see decry.]
de·scri'er n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Descry

De*scry"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Descried; p. pr. & vb. n. Descrying.] [OE. descrien, discrien, to espy, prob. from the proclaiming of what was espied, fr. OF. descrier to proclaim, cry down, decry, F. d['e]crier. The word was confused somewhat with OF. descriven, E. describe, OF. descrivre, from L. describere. See Decry.]

1. To spy out or discover by the eye, as objects distant or obscure; to espy; to recognize; to discern; to discover.

And the house of Joseph sent to descry Bethel. --Judg. i. 23.

Edmund, I think, is gone . . . to descry The strength o' the enemy. --Shak.

And now their way to earth they had descried. --Milton.

2. To discover; to disclose; to reveal. [R.]

His purple robe he had thrown aside, lest it should descry him. --Milton.

Syn: To see; behold; espy; discover; discern.

Descry

De*scry"\, n. Discovery or view, as of an army seen at a distance. [Obs.]

Near, and on speedy foot; the main descry Stands on the hourly thought. --Shak.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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descry 
c.1300, probably from O.Fr. descrier "publish," from L. describere (see describe).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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