discover, v.
(dɪˈskʌvə(r))
Forms: α. 4– discover; also 4 deschuver, discoovir, 4–5 dys-, 4–7 discouer, 5 -cuuer, -couyr, -couuer. β. 4 diskyuer, 5 dis-, dyskeuer. γ. 4 descure, 4–6 discour(e, -cure, 5 -cuyre, 5–6 -kure, 6 -cuir. δ. 5–6 dis-, dyskere.
[a. OF. descovr-ir, descouvr-ir = Pr. and Sp. descubrir, It. discovrire (later -coprire), ad. med.L. discooperīre, late L. or Romanic f. dis- 4 + L. cooperīre to cover. The OF. stressed form descuevre, -queuvre, gave the Eng. variant, diskever (still dial.), and the vocalizing of v between vowels, gave the reduced discour, -cure, and diskere.]
† 1. trans. To remove the covering (clothing, roof, lid, etc.) from (anything); to bare, uncover; esp. to uncover (the head), to unroof (a building). Obs.
| 1382 Wyclif Lev. xxi. 10 His heed he shal not discouer, his clothis he shal not kitt. 14.. Lydg. Temple of Glas 916 Who þat wil..Fulli be cured..He most..Discure his wound, & shew it to his lech. c 1449 Pecock Repr. ii. x. 206 The principal Crucifix of the chirche schal be Discovered and schewid baar and nakid to alle the peple of the Processioun. 1483 Caxton Gold. Leg. 362/2 She..said to her sustres that they sholde discouere their hedes. 1520 Whitinton Vulg. (1527) 40 Let hym also..set his cuppe surely before his superyour, discouer it and couer it agayne with curtesy made. 1571 Grindal Articles 50 Whether any man hath pulled downe or discouered any Church, chauncell, or chappell. 1627 Lisander & Cal. v. 80 At the end of his sermon having discovered his head. 1628 Coke On Litt. i. 53 If the house be discouered by tempest, the tenant must in conuenient time repaire it. |
† 2. To remove, withdraw (anything serving as a cover); to cause to cease to be a covering. Obs.
| 1535 Stewart Cron. Scot. II. 139 At the last the cloud ane lytill we Discouerit wes, that tha micht better se. 1611 Bible Jer. xiii. 22 For the greatnesse of thine iniquitie are thy skirts discouered. 1618 Chapman Hesiod i. 161 When the woman the unwieldy lid Had once discover'd, all the miseries hid..dispersed and flew About the world. |
3. a. To disclose or expose to view (anything covered up, hidden, or previously unseen), to reveal, show. Now rare.
| c 1450 Lonelich Grail lv. 175 Thanne browhte Aleyn this holy vessel anon..& there it discouerede & schewed it þe kyng. 1535 Coverdale Isa. xxvi. 21 He wil discouer the bloude that she hath deuoured. 1613 Voy. Guiana in Harl. Misc. (Malh.) III. 182 A goodly river, discovering a gallant Country. 1660 Hickeringill Jamaica (1661) 39 Columbus, to whose happy search, the West-Indies first discovered it self. 1689 ― Modest Inq. v. 35 Which Wrinckles I had rather Masque over and cover, than discover. 1716 Lady M. W. Montagu Let. to Pope 14 Sept., The stage was built over a..canal, and, at the beginning of the second act, divided into two parts discovering the water. 1797 Mrs. Radcliffe Italian xxxii, This discovered to Schedoni the various figures assembled in his dusky chamber. a 1861 Clough Ess. Class. Metres, Actaeon 13 She..Swift her divine shoulders discovering. 1882 Stevenson New Arab. Nts. (1884) 121 The nurseryman..readily discovered his hoard. |
| fig. 1892 Newman Smyth Chr. Ethics i. iii. 188 This mode of thinking discovers a cosmical moral significance in the incarnation. |
† b. To afford a view of, to show. Obs.
| 1600 E. Blount tr. Conestaggio 212 Upon the hils, which discover the enimies lodging and their trenches. 1638 Sir T. Herbert Trav. (ed. 2) 73 'Tis wall'd about, and to the N.N.W. discovers a lake or fish-pond five miles over. 1667 Milton P.L. i. 64 From those flames No light, but rather darkness visible Serv'd only to discover sights of woe. c 1710 C. Fiennes Diary (1888) 112 An advanced piece of ground above all the rest..discovers the Country a great Circuit round. |
c. to discover check (Chess): to remove a piece or pawn which stands between a checking piece and the king, and so to put the latter in check.
| [1614 A. Saul Chess viii, The Mate by discovery, the most industrious Mate of all.] 1816 Stratagems of Chess (1817) 11 Place the queen, bishop or castle behind a pawn or a piece in such a manner as upon playing that pawn or piece you discover a check upon your adversary's king. 1847 Staunton Chess Pl. Handbk. 20 When the King is directly attacked by the Piece played, it is a simple check; but when the Piece moved does not itself give check, but unmasks another which does, it is called a discovered check. Ibid. 28 A striking though simple instance of the power of a discovered check. Ibid. 29 White must play his Rook to K.Kt.'s sixth square, discovering check with the Bishop. 1870 Hardy & Ware Mod. Hoyle, Chess 42 Double Check is when check is discovered..the King being also attacked by the piece moved. |
4. To divulge, reveal, disclose to knowledge (anything secret or unknown); to make known. arch. a. With simple obj.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 28293 (Cott.) Priuetis o fremyd and frende I haue discouerd als vn-hende. c 1350 Will. Palerne 3192 Þis dede schal i neuer deschuuer. c 1386 Chaucer Can. Yeom. Prol. & T. 143 Thou sclaundrest me..And eek discouerest that thou sholdest hyde. c 1470 Harding Chron. ii. i, The youngest suster the mater all discured To her husbande. ? c 1475 Sqr. lowe Degre 868 Anone he made hym swere His counsayl he should never diskere. 1592 Shakes. Rom. & Jul. iii. i. 147 O Noble Prince, I can discouer all The vnluckie Mannage of this fatall brall. 1662 J. Davies tr. Mandelslo's Trav. 5 They contain some secrets which Time will discover. 1712 W. Rogers Voy. 9 [I] now thought it fit to discover to our Crew whither we were bound. 1751 Johnson Rambler No. 97 ¶14 He honestly discovers the state of his fortune. |
b. With subord. clause.
| 1599 Shakes. Much Ado i. ii. 12 The Prince discouered to Claudio that hee loued my niece your daughter. 1845 J. H. Newman Lett. (1891) II. 460 Continually do I pray that He would discover to me if I am under a delusion. |
† c. absol. Obs.
| 14.. Lydg. Temple of Glas 629 Lich him þat..knoweþ not, to whom forto discure. 1659 Burton's Diary (1828) IV. 302 All means were used to make him discover, but he..would not confess. |
† 5. To reconnoitre. Also absol. Obs.
| 1375 Barbour Bruce xiv. 268 Furth till discouir, thair way thai ta. c 1475 Rauf Coilȝear 798 Derflie ouir Daillis, discouerand the doun, Gif ony douchtie that day for Iornayis was dicht. 1513 Douglas æneis ix. iii. 196 Of the nycht wach the cure We geif Mesapus, the ȝettis to discure. 1592 Sir H. Unton Corr. (Roxb.) 330 The king this day goeth to the warr to discover. 1600 E. Blount tr. Conestaggio 211 He issued foorth..with his whole army, onely with an intent to discover. |
6. To reveal the identity of (a person); hence, to betray. arch.
| c 1320 Sir Beues 74 Maseger, do me surte, þat þow nelt nouȝt discure me To no wiȝt! c 1386 Chaucer Merch. T. 698 Mercy, and that ye nat discouere me. 1465 Paston Lett. No. 527 II. 234 A told me..in noo wyse that ye dyskure not Master Stevyn. 1599 Warn. Faire Wom. ii. 524 Whither shal I fly? The very bushes wil dis-cover me. 1632 J. Hayward tr. Biondi's Eromena 71 When hee asked who hee was, the Marquesse durst not discover him (so strictly was he tied by promise to conceale him). 1726 Adv. Capt. R. Boyle 264 She at last discover'd herself to me: She was Daughter-in-law to [etc.]. 1865 Kingsley Herew. xix, He was on the point of discovering himself to them. |
† 7. a. To manifest, exhibit, display (an attribute, quality, feeling, etc.). Obs.
| c 1430 Pilgr. Lyf Manhode i. cxxv. (1869) 66 It is michel more woorth..þan to diskeuere his iustice, and to say, bihold mi swerde whiche i haue vnshethed you. 1576 Fleming Panopl. Epist. 338 M. Clemens, to whome S. T. Moore hathe discovered a fewe sparckles of his benevolence towardes mee. 1589 Greene Menaphon (Arb.) 33, I haue not..store of plate to discover anie wealth. 1615 J. Stephens Satyr. Ess. 213 He will enter into a Taverne..onely to discover his gold lace and scarlet. 1682 Bunyan Holy War (Cassell) 141 With what agility..did these military men discover their skill in feats of war. 1771 Sir J. Reynolds Disc. iv. (1876) 347 He takes as much pains to discover, as the greater artist does to conceal, the marks of his subordinate assiduity. |
b. esp. To manifest by action; to display (unconsciously or unintentionally); to exhibit, betray, allow to be seen or perceived. arch.
| c 1460 La Belle Dame 403 in Pol. Rel. & L. Poems (1866) 65 If youre grace to me be Discouerte, Thanne be your meane soon shulde I be relevyd. 1556 Aurelio & Isab. (1608) I. vii, Then yowre regard discoverethe..the desire of yowre harte. 1600 E. Blount tr. Conestaggio 117 The more he mounted, the more he discovered his incapacitie. 1658 Sir T. Browne Hydriot. ii. (1736) 29 The remaining Bones discovered his Proportions. 1739 C. Labelye Short Acc. Piers Westm. Bridge 59 The Timber..discover'd a strong Smell of Turpentine upon the first Stroke of a Plane. 1836–7 Sir W. Hamilton Metaph. (1877) I. xviii. 341 She had never discovered a talent for poetry or music. 1887 Times 27 Aug. 11/3 He was bitten by a pet fox which subsequently discovered symptoms of rabies. |
c. With subord. clause.
| 1596 Spenser State Irel. Wks. (Globe) 640/1 The which name doth discover them to be also auncient English. 1622 J. Meade in Ellis Orig. Lett. Ser. i. III. 126 How could that discover they were for Spaine? 1713 Pope Guardian No. 4 ¶2 A lofty gentleman Whose air and gait discovered when he had published a new book. 1802–3 tr. Pallas' Trav. (1812) I. 425 All the Nagais still discover by their features, that they are of Mongolian origin. 1856 Emerson Eng. Traits, First Visit Wks. (Bohn) II. 7 Rousseau's Confessions had discovered to him [Carlyle] that he was not a dunce. |
8. To obtain sight or knowledge of (something previously unknown) for the first time; to come to the knowledge of; to find out. a. With simple obj.
| 1555 Eden Decades 2 Colonus..in this fyrst nauigation discouered vj Ilandes. 1585 T. Washington tr. Nicholay's Voy. i. v. 4 Wee discovered at the Seas two Foystes which came even towardes the place where we were. 1670 Maynwaring Physician's Repos. 90 This alkalisate property was first discovered by preparation and tryals. 1783 H. Blair Lect. Rhet. x. (Seager), We invent things that are new; we discover what was before hidden. Galileo invented the telescope; Harvey discovered the circulation of the blood. 1840 Penny Cycl. XVI. 176 Banks's Islands..were discovered by Captain Bligh in 1789. 1860 Tyndall Glac. ii. xvii. 317 The sounds continued without our being able to discover their source. |
b. With subord. clause or inf. phr.
| 1556 Aurelio & Isab. (1608) B iij, Your love shal be discovered to be false. 1676 Lister in Ray's Corr. (1848) 125, I am glad you have discovered those authors to be plagiaries. 1727 Swift Gulliver ii. viii. 169 He sent out his long-boat to discover what I was. 1868 Lockyer Elem. Astron. vi. (1879) 228 Dr. Wollaston in..1802 discovered that there were dark lines crossing the spectrum in different places. 1892 Sir H. E. Lopes in Law Times' Rep. LXVII. 150/2 The defendant Burton says he discovered that he had made a mistake. |
c. To catch sight of; to sight, descry, espy. arch.
| 1576–90 N. T. (L. Tomson) Acts xxi. 3 And when we had discouered Cyprus, we left it on the left hand. 1585 T. Washington tr. Nicholay's Voy. i. xi. 13 In the evening we discovered the citie of Gigeri. 1660 F. Brooke tr. Le Blanc's Trav. 23 From the top of the hill you discover Aden, standing in a large plain. 1726 Adv. Capt. R. Boyle 373 November 3, we discover'd England, whose Chalky Cliffs gave us all a vast Delight. 1817 Shelley Rev. Islam vii. xl. 5 Day was almost over, When through the fading light I could discover A ship approaching. |
d. spec. To bring to public notice, make famous or fashionable.
| 1908 Busy Man's Mag. Sept. 114/2 It is interesting just here to note that while editor of the Westminster, Mr. Macdonald ‘discovered’ Ralph Connor (Rev. Dr. Gordon), the celebrated Canadian novelist. 1926 M. Baring Daphne Adeane i. 3 She was merged in the ranks of the unnoticed, till she was suddenly ‘discovered’. 1932 Times Lit. Suppl. 8 Sept. 625/3 In a very short time she had producers..vying with each other for the honour of ‘discovering’ her. 1963 J. Fleming Death of Sardine iii. 41 One day, when Trigoso Praia, or Plage, was ‘discovered’ the road might be an important promenade. |
† 9. To bring into fuller knowledge; to explore (a country, district, etc.). Obs.
| 1582 N. Lichefield tr. Castanheda's Conq. E. Ind. lxxv. 154 In commission to go & discouer the red Sea with the Countreyes adiacent. 1670 Narborough Jrnl. in Acc. Sev. Late Voy. i. (1711) 43, I sent in my Boat to discover the Harbour, and see if the Pink was there. 1778 Eng. Gazetteer (ed. 2) s.v. Tingmouth, The Danes landed here in 970, to discover the country previous to their invasion of it. 1850 Prescott Peru II. 192 He was empowered to discover and occupy the country for the distance of two hundred leagues. |
† 10. a. intr. To make discoveries, to explore. Obs.
| 1582 N. Lichefield tr. Castanheda's Conq. E. Ind. iv. 10 b, Vpon Christmas daye, they had discouered along the Coast, three score and tenne leagues to the Eastward. 1685 R. Burton Eng. Emp. Amer. ii. 39 Capt. Henry Hudson in 1607 discovered farther North toward the Pole than perhaps any before him. 1821 Southey Exped. of Orsua 129 We set out from Peru for the river Maranham, to discover and settle there. |
† b. To have or obtain a view: to look; to see.
| 1599 Hakluyt Voy. II. i. 234 Standing at the one gate you may discouer to the other. 1647 J. Saltmarsh Spark. Glory (1847) 141 They that have discovered up into free⁓grace or the mystery of salvation. 1653 Holcroft Procopius i. 20 From a hil discovering round, they saw a dust, and soon after a great troop of Vandals. 1667 Ld. Digby Elvira ii. vii, There's nobody in the street, it is so light One may discover a mile. 1709 Pope Ess. Crit. 647 He steer'd securely, and discover'd far, Led by the light of the Mæonian star. |
† 11. trans. and intr. To distinguish, discern. Obs.
| 1620 E. Blount Horae Subsec. 453 This kind of Flatterie..is so closely intermixed with friendship, that it can hardly be discouered from it. 1650 W. Brough Sacr. Princ. (1659) 551 Discover better betwixt the Spirit of God and the World. 1655 Marquis of Worcester Cent. Inv. vi, Far as Eye can discover black from white. 1796 E. Parsons Myst. Warning III. 59 A semblance of honour I had not the penetration to discover from a reality. |
Hence diˈscovering vbl. n. and ppl. a.
| c 1350 Will. Palerne 1044, I drede me of descuuering, for ȝe haue dwelled long. 1375 Barbour Bruce i. 242 Thus contrar thingis euir-mar, Discoweryngis off the tothir ar. c 1477 Caxton Jason 37 The mouth whiche is instrument of the dischargyng and discouering of hertes. 1555 Eden Decades 311 The fyrste discouerynge of the Weste Indies. 1583 Golding Calvin on Deut. lviii. 349 To the end they might not vse any odde shiftes to keepe their naughtinesse from discouering. a 1631 Donne in Cornh. Mag. May (1865) 618 All will spy in thy face A blushing, womanly, discovering grace. 1663 Gerbier Counsel 19 The middle Transome would be opposite to a mans eye, hindersome to the free discovering of the Countrey. 1668 Clarendon Contemp. Ps., Tracts (1727) 668 Who love such discovering words [etc.]. 1695 Woodward Nat. Hist. Earth iv. (1723) 244 Rivers and Rains also, are instrumental to the Discovering of Amber. |
______________________________
Add: [3.] d. Theatr. pass. or pa. pple. Of a person: to be disclosed on stage in a particular position or state as the curtain rises. (Usu. in stage directions.)
| [1716: see sense 3 a.] 1780 Sheridan Sch. Scand. i. i. 1 Lady Sneerwell and Snake discovered at a tea-table. c 1852 D. Boucicault Corsican Brothers i. i. 5 Marie discovered singing while she sits at her spinning wheel. ? 1884 W. S. Gilbert Sorcerer (new ed.) ii. 18 All the peasantry are discovered asleep on the ground. 1920 E. O'Neill Beyond Horizon iii. i. 124 At the rise of the curtain Ruth is discovered sitting by the stove. 1973 A. Ayckbourn Time & Time Again i. i. 1 When the Curtain rises, Leonard, a man in his late thirties, is discovered in the conservatory. |