King James Bible Dictionary

DISCOVER, verb transitive [See Cover.]

1. Literally, to uncover; to remove a covering. Isaiah 22:8.

2. To lay open to the view; to disclose; to show; to make visible; to expose to view something before unseen or concealed.

Go, draw aside the curtains and discover the several caskets to this noble prince.

He discovereth deep things out of darkness. Job 12:22.

Law can discover sin, but not remove.

3. To reveal; to make known.

We will discover ourselves to them. 1 Samuel 14:8.

DISCOVER not a secret to another. Proverbs 25:9.

4. To espy; to have the first sight of; as, a man at mast-head discovered land.

When we had discovered Cyprus, we left it on the left hand. Acts 21:3.

5. To find out; to obtain the first knowledge of; to come to the knowledge of something sought or before unknown. Columbus discovered the variation of the magnetic needle. We often discover our mistakes, when too late to prevent their evil effects.

6. To detect; as, we discovered the artifice; the thief, finding himself discovered, attempted to escape.

DISCOVER differs from invent. We discover what before existed, though to us unknown; we invent what did not before exist.

DISCOVERABLE, adjective

1. That may be discovered; that may be brought to light, or exposed to view.

2. That may be seen; as, many minute animals are discoverable only by the help of the microscope.

3. That may be found out, or made known; as, the scriptures reveal many things not discoverable by the light of reason.

4. Apparent; visible; exposed to view.

Nothing discoverable in the lunar surface is ever covered.

DISCOVERED, participle passive Uncovered; disclosed to view; laid open; revealed; espied or first seen; found out; detected.

DISCOVERER, noun

1. One who discovers; one who first sees or espies; one who finds out, or first comes to the knowledge of something.

2. A scout; an explorer.

DISCOVERING, participle present tense Uncovering; disclosing to view; laying open; revealing; making known; espying; finding out; detecting.

DISCOVERTURE, noun A state of being released from coverture; freedom of a woman from the coverture of a husband.

DISCOVERY, noun

1. The action of disclosing to view, or bringing to light; as, by the discovery of a plot, the public peace is preserved.

2. Disclosure; a making known; as, a bankrupt is bound to make a full discovery of his estate and effects.

3. The action of finding something hidden; as the discovery of lead or silver in the earth.

4. The act of finding out, or coming to the knowledge of; as the discovery of truth; the discovery of magnetism.

5. The act of espying; first sight of; as the discovery of America by Columbus, or of the Continent by Cabot.

6. That which is discovered, found out or revealed; that which is first brought to light, seen or known. The properties of the magnet were an important discovery Redemption from sin was a discovery beyond the power of human philosophy.

7. In dramatic poetry, the unraveling of a plot, or the manner of unfolding the plot or fable of a comedy or tragedy.