Definition of "discover"

discover

/dɪsˈkʌvə/

verb
third-person singular simple present discovers, present participle discovering, simple past and past participle discovered
1. To find or learn something for the first time.
  Quotations
  All this has led to an explosion of protest across China, including among a middle class that has discovered nimbyism.
  2013 August 10, “Can China clean up fast enough?”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8848
2. (transitive, obsolete) To remove the cover from; to uncover (a head, building etc.).
  Quotations
  He set down his bags beside him, on the beautiful red floor, and he took off his hat, for he had reached his destination, discovering his scant red hair, and laid it on the table beside him.
  1953, Samuel Beckett, Watt, Olympia Press
3. (transitive, now rare) To expose, uncover.
4. (transitive, chess) To create by moving a piece out of another piece's line of attack.
5. (law, transitive) To question (a person) as part of discovery in a lawsuit.
  Quotations
  Indeed, the plaintiffs suggest that they may not need to call Ms. Samji at all if they are allowed to discover the defendant on the new documents before any new trial takes place.
  2019 July 2, Ward K. Branch, “Gordon v. Canada, 2017 FC 454”, in CanLII‎, retrieved 13 April 2021
6. (transitive, archaic) To reveal (information); to divulge, make known.
  Quotations
  Go, draw aside the curtains, and discover / The several caskets to this noble prince.
  c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act II, scene vii]
  Prosperity doth best discover vice; but adversity doth best discover virtue.
  1625, Francis [Bacon], “Of Adversity”, in The Essayes […], 3rd edition, London: […] Iohn Haviland for Hanna Barret
  It was in vain to diſcover my Reſentments, which were always turned into Ridicule; and I was forced to reſt with Patience while my noble and moſt beloved Country was ſo injuriouſly treated.
  1726 October 28, [Jonathan Swift], “The Author’s Love of His Country. […]”, in Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. […] [Gulliver’s Travels], volume I, London: […] Benj[amin] Motte, […], part II (A Voyage to Brobdingnag), page 269
7. (transitive, obsolete) To reconnoitre, explore (an area).
  Quotations
  they seyde the same, and were aggreed that Sir Clegis, Sir Claryon, and Sir Clement the noble, that they sholde dyscover the woodys, bothe the dalys and the downys.(please add an English translation of this quotation)
  1470–1485 (date produced), Thomas Malory, “(please specify the chapter)”, in [Le Morte Darthur], book V, [London: […] by William Caxton], published 31 July 1485; republished as H[einrich] Oskar Sommer, editor, Le Morte Darthur […], London: David Nutt, […], 1889,
8. (obsolete) To manifest without design; to show; to exhibit.
  Quotations
  The youth discovered a taste for sculpture.
  1871, Charles John Smith, Synonyms Discriminated
  The English Cooks keep all their Spices in separate boxes, but the French Cooks make a spicey mixture that does not discover a predominancy of any one of the spices over the others.
  1806, Alexander Hunter, Culina Famulatrix Medicinæ, page 125

Definition of "discover"

discover

verb

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