prize1

[prahyz] /praɪz/
noun
1.
a reward for victory or superiority, as in a contest or competition.
2.
something that is won in a lottery or the like.
3.
anything striven for, worth striving for, or much valued.
4.
something seized or captured, especially an enemy's ship and cargo captured at sea in wartime.
5.
the act of taking or capturing, especially a ship at sea.
6.
Archaic. a contest or match.
adjective
7.
having won a prize:
a prize bull; a prize play.
8.
worthy of a prize.
9.
given or awarded as a prize.
Origin
1250-1300; in senses referring to something seized, continuing Middle English prise something captured, a seizing < Middle French < Latin pre(hē)nsa, noun use of feminine past participle of pre(he)ndere to take; in senses referring to something won, spelling variant of price (Middle English pris(e)) since the late 16th century
Synonyms
1. premium. See reward.

prize2

[prahyz] /praɪz/
verb (used with object), prized, prizing.
1.
to value or esteem highly.
2.
to estimate the worth or value of.
Origin
1325-75; Middle English prisen < Middle French prisier, variant of preisier to praise
Synonyms
1. See appreciate.

prize3

[prahyz] /praɪz/
verb (used with object), prized, prizing.
1.
pry2 .
noun
2.
leverage.
3.
a lever.
Also, prise.
Origin
1350-1400; Middle English prise < Middle French: a hold, grasp < Latin pre(hē)nsa. See prize1
Examples from the web for prize
  • He once appeared in the boys' prize ring, but panic surprised him in the second round.
  • Tao's accomplishments have already earned him nearly every major mathematics prize.
  • The prize of the collection is a large, exquisitely crafted mihrab, or prayer niche.
  • Your prize is a free course that uses anonymous off-site graders.
  • She was the only athlete still eligible to win the prize.
  • SInce the prize that he shows doesn't affect your decision, no new information has been added.
  • Pigeon breeders prize the skin folds and take great pains to cultivate a large, healthy-looking wattle on show birds.
  • Previous failures, however, do not daunt the latest contender for the prize.
  • So when the prize is a substantial amount of money, great things can happen.
  • The prize could be trillions of cubic metres of gas.
British Dictionary definitions for prize

prise

/praɪz/
verb (transitive)
1.
to force open by levering
2.
to extract or obtain with difficulty: they had to prise the news out of him
noun
3.
(rare or dialect) a tool involving leverage in its use or the leverage so employed
US and Canadian equivalent pry
Word Origin
C17: from Old French prise a taking, from prendre to take, from Latin prehendere; see prize1

prize1

/praɪz/
noun
1.
  1. a reward or honour for victory or for having won a contest, competition, etc
  2. (as modifier): prize jockey, prize essay
2.
something given to the winner of any game of chance, lottery, etc
3.
something striven for
4.
any valuable property captured in time of war, esp a vessel
Word Origin
C14: from Old French prise a capture, from Latin prehendere to seize; influenced also by Middle English prise reward; see price

prize2

/praɪz/
verb
1.
(transitive) to esteem greatly; value highly
Word Origin
C15 prise, from Old French preisier to praise

prize3

/praɪz/
verb, noun
1.
a variant spelling of prise
Word Origin and History for prize
n.

"reward," prise (c.1300 in this sense), from Old French pris "price, value, worth; reward" (see price (n.)). As an adjective, "worthy of a prize," from 1803. The spelling with -z- is from late 16c. Prize-fighter is from 1703; prize-fight from 1730 (prize-fighter from 1785).

"something taken by force," mid-13c., prise "a taking, holding," from Old French prise "a taking, seizing, holding," noun use of fem. past participle of prendre "to take, seize," from Latin prendere, contraction of prehendere "lay hold of, grasp, seize, catch" (see prehensile). Especially of ships captured at sea (1510s). The spelling with -z- is from late 16c.

v.

"to estimate," 1580s, alteration of Middle English prisen "to prize, value" (late 14c.), from stem of Old French preisier "to praise" (see praise (v.)). Related: Prized; prizing.