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Privy vs Pry - What's the difference?

privy | pry |

As an adjective privy

is private, exclusive; not public; one's own.

As a noun privy

is an outdoor toilet; latrine; earth closet; john; johnny house.

As an adverb pry is

allegedly.

privy

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Private, exclusive; not public; one's own.
    • The king retreated to his privy chamber.
    the privy purse
  • Secret, hidden, concealed.
  • * 1967 , William Styron, The Confessions of Nat Turner , Vintage 2004, p. 82:
    • Nonetheless, in the dark and privy stillness of our minds there are few of us who are not still haunted by worrisome doubts.
  • With knowledge of; party to; let in on.
    • He was privy to the discussions.

    Noun

    (privies)
  • An outdoor toilet; latrine; earth closet; john; johnny house.
  • (legal) A partaker; one having an interest in an action, contract, etc. to which he is not himself a party.
    • (Burrill)
    (Wharton)

    pry

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) pryen, . More at (l).

    Verb

    (en-verb)
  • To look where one is not welcome; to be nosey.
  • To look closely and curiously at.
  • * Shakespeare
    • Watch thou and wake when others be asleep, / To pry into the secrets of the state.

    Noun

  • The act of prying
  • An excessively inquisitive person

    • Etymology 2

    1800, ("lever"), construed as a plural noun or as a 3rd person singular verb.

    Noun

    (pries)
  • A lever.
  • Leverage.

    • Verb

    (en-verb)
  • To use leverage to open or widen. (See also prise and prize.)