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Webster 1913 Edition

Prize

Prize

(prīz)
,
Noun.
[F.
prise
a seizing, hold, grasp, fr.
pris
, p. p. of
prendre
to take, L.
prendere
,
prehendere
; in some senses, as 2
(b)
, either from, or influenced by, F.
prix
price. See
Prison
,
Prehensile
, and cf.
Pry
, and also
Price
.]
1.
That which is taken from another; something captured; a thing seized by force, stratagem, or superior power.
I will depart my
pris
, or my prey, by deliberation.
Chaucer.
His own
prize
,
Whom formerly he had in battle won.
Spenser.
2.
Hence, specifically;
(a)
(Law)
Anything captured by a belligerent using the rights of war; esp., property captured at sea in virtue of the rights of war, as a vessel.
Kent.
Brande & C.
(b)
An honor or reward striven for in a competitive contest; anything offered to be competed for, or as an inducement to, or reward of, effort.
I’ll never wrestle for
prize
more.
Shakespeare
I fought and conquered, yet have lost the
prize
.
Dryden.
(c)
That which may be won by chance, as in a lottery.
3.
Anything worth striving for; a valuable possession held or in prospect.
I press toward the mark for the
prize
of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Phil. iii. 14.
4.
A contest for a reward; competition.
[Obs.]
Shak.
5.
A lever; a pry; also, the hold of a lever.
[Written also
prise
.]
Prize court
,
a court having jurisdiction of all captures made in war on the high seas.
Bouvier.
–
Prize fight
,
an exhibition contest, esp. one of pugilists, for a stake or wager.
–
Prize fighter
,
one who fights publicly for a reward; – applied esp. to a professional boxer or pugilist.
Pope.
–
Prize fighting
,
fighting, especially boxing, in public for a reward or wager.
–
Prize master
,
an officer put in charge or command of a captured vessel.
–
Prize medal
,
a medal given as a prize.
–
Prize money
,
a dividend from the proceeds of a captured vessel, etc., paid to the captors.
–
Prize ring
,
the ring or inclosure for a prize fight; the system and practice of prize fighting.
–
To make prize of
,
to capture.
Hawthorne.

Prize

,
Verb.
T.
To move with a lever; to force up or open; to pry.
[Written also
prise
.]

Prize

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Prized
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Prizing
.]
[F.
priser
, OF.
prisier
,
preisier
, fr. L.
pretiare
, fr.
pretium
worth, value, price. See
Price
, and cf.
Praise
.]
[Formerly written also
prise
. ]
1.
To set or estimate the value of; to appraise; to price; to rate.
A goodly price that I was
prized
at.
Zech. xi. 13.
I
prize
it [life] not a straw, but for mine honor.
Shakespeare
2.
To value highly; to estimate to be of great worth; to esteem.
“[I] do love, prize, honor you. ”
Shak.
I
prized
your person, but your crown disdain.
Dryden.

Prize

,
Noun.
[F.
prix
price. See 3d
Prize
. ]
Estimation; valuation.
[Obs.]
Shak.

Webster 1828 Edition

Prize

PRIZE

, n.
1.
That which is taken from an enemy in war; any species of goods or property seized by force as spoil or plunder; or that which is taken in combat, particularly a ship. A privateer takes an enemy's ship as a prize. They make prize of all the property of the enemy.
2.
That which is taken from another; that which is deemed a valuable acquisition.
Then prostrate falls, and begs with ardent eyes,
Soon to obtain and long possess the prize.
3.
That which is obtained or offered as the reward of contest.
--I will never wrestle for prize.
I fought and conquer'd, yet have lost the prize.
4.
The reward gained by any performance.
5.
In colloquial language, any valuable thing gained.
6.
The money drawn by a lottery ticket; opposed to blank.

PRIZE

,
Verb.
T.
[L. pretium.]
1.
To set or estimate the value of; to rate; as, to prize the goods specified in an invoice.
Life I prize not a straw.
2.
To value highly; to estimate to be of great worth; to esteem.
I prize your person, but your crown disdain.
3.
To raise with a lever. [See Pry.]

Definition 2024

prize

prize

See also: příze

English

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /pɹaɪz/
    • Rhymes: -aɪz
  • Homophones: pries, prise

Noun

prize ‎(plural prizes)

  1. That which is taken from another; something captured; a thing seized by force, stratagem, or superior power.
    • Spenser
      His own prize, / Whom formerly he had in battle won.
  2. (military, nautical) Anything captured by a belligerent using the rights of war; especially, property captured at sea in virtue of the rights of war, as a vessel.
  3. An honour or reward striven for in a competitive contest; anything offered to be competed for, or as an inducement to, or reward of, effort.
    • Dryden
      I fought and conquered, yet have lost the prize.
  4. That which may be won by chance, as in a lottery.
  5. Anything worth striving for; a valuable possession held or in prospect.
    • Bible, Phil. iii. 14
      I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
  6. A contest for a reward; competition.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Shakespeare to this entry?)
  7. A lever; a pry; also, the hold of a lever. Also spelled prise.
Derived terms
Usage notes

Do not confuse with price.

Translations

See also

Etymology 2

From Middle English prysen, from Old French priser ‎(“to set a price or value on, esteem, value”), from pris ‎(“price”), from Latin pretium ‎(“price, value”); see price. Compare praise, appraise, apprize.

Verb

prize ‎(third-person singular simple present prizes, present participle prizing, simple past and past participle prized)

  1. To consider highly valuable; to esteem.
    • Shakespeare
      [I] do love, prize, honour you.
    • Dryden
      I prized your person, but your crown disdain.
  2. (obsolete) To set or estimate the value of; to appraise; to price; to rate.
    • Bible, Zech. xi. 13
      A goodly price that I was prized at.
    • Shakespeare
      I prize it [life] not a straw, but for mine honour.
  3. To move with a lever; to force up or open; to prise or pry.
  4. (obsolete) To compete in a prizefight.
Translations

Etymology 3

Adjective

prize ‎(not comparable)

  1. Having won a prize; award-winning.
    a prize vegetable
  2. first-rate; exceptional
    He was a prize fool.

Etymology

From Middle English prise, from Old French prise ‎(“a taking, capture, a seizure, a thing seized, a prize, booty, also hold, purchase”), from French prise, from pris, past participle of prendre ‎(“to take, to capture”), from Latin prendere ‎(“to take, seize”); see prehend. Compare price, prison, apprise, comprise, enterprise, purprise, reprisal, suprise, etc.

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