being overly curious about other people's private affairs, or trying to move something open with a tool.
From Old French 'prier' meaning to pry open, related to 'prize.' The meaning evolved to describe both the physical action of forcing something open and the metaphorical 'opening' into other people's secrets.
The word 'pry' gave us 'private'—literally, something that resists prying. So calling someone 'prying' is saying they won't respect that resistance, which makes it one of the few insults that actually explains what behavior it criticizes.
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