Word-Built World: scry

scry

/skrī/

verb

gerund or present participle: scrying

  1. foretell the future using a crystal ball or other reflective object or surface.”a mirror used for scrying”

Origin

early 16th century: shortening of descry.

de·scry

/dəˈskrī/

Learn to pronounce

verb

LITERARY

verb: descry; 3rd person present: descries; past tense: descried; past participle: descried; gerund or present participle: descrying

  1. catch sight of.”she descried two figures”

Origin

Middle English: Old French descrier ‘publish, proclaim’, perhaps confused with obsolete descry ‘describe’.

(Contributed by Michael Kelly, H.W.)

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