De-scry′, v. t.
v. t. [imp. & p. p. DESCRIED; p. pr. & vb. n. DESCRYING.] [Norm. Fr. descrier, discerier, to discover, perceive, O. Fr. descrier, to describe, also to cry down, N. Fr. décrier, to cry down. The forms and significations of three verbs have been here confounded, viz., of O. Fr. descrire, O. Eng. describe, Lat. describere; of Fr. découvrir, découvrir, O. Eng. discover, descure, N. Eng. discover; and of Fr. descrier, décrier, Eng. decry.]
Sense 1. To spy out and make known; to discover by the eye, as objects at a distance that can be faintly seen; to espy; to detect; to recognize.
Edmund, I think, is gone . . . to descry The strength of the enemy. Shak.
And now their way to earth they had descried. Milton.
Sense 2. To make known; to discover; to disclose. [Rare.]
His purple robe he had thrown aside lest it should descry him. Milton.
Synonyms—To see; behold; espy; discover; discern; reveal.