• (RP) IPA: /dɪsˈkʌvə/
• (Northern England) IPA: /dɪsˈkʊvə/
• (America) IPA: /dɪsˈkʌvɚ/

discover (discovers, present participle discovering; past and past participle discovered)

1. To find or learn something for the first time.

   Turning the corner, I discovered a lovely little shop. I discovered that they sold widgets.

2. (transitive, obsolete) To remove the cover from; to uncover (a head, building etc.).
3. (transitive, now, rare) To expose, uncover.

   The gust of wind discovered a bone in the sand.

4. (transitive, chess) To create by moving a piece out of another piece's line of attack.

   This move discovers an attack on a vital pawn.

5. (transitive, archaic) To reveal (information); to divulge, make known.

   I discovered my plans to the rest of the team.

   • c. 1596–1598, William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358 ↗, [Act II, scene vii]:

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

   • 1625, Francis Bacon, Of Adversity

     Prosperity doth best discover vice; but adversity doth best discover virtue.

6. (transitive, obsolete) To reconnoitre, explore (an area).
   • a. 1472, Thomas Malory, “(please specify the chapter)”, in [Le Morte Darthur], book V, [London: […] by William Caxton], published 31 July 1485, OCLC 71490786 ↗; republished as H[einrich] Oskar Sommer, editor, Le Morte Darthur […], London: Published by David Nutt, […], 1889, OCLC 890162034 ↗:

     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.

7. (obsolete) To manifest without design; to show; to exhibit.

   • The youth discovered a taste for sculpture.

• (expose something previously covered) expose, reveal, uncover
• (find something for the first time) come across, find

• (expose something previously covered) conceal, cover, cover up, hide

• French: découvrir
• German: erleben, erfahren, dabei sein, mit erleben / reisen
• Italian: scoprire, discoprire
• Portuguese: descobrir, descobrir
• Russian: раскрыва́ть
• Spanish: descubrir, destapar

• French: découvrir
• German: entdecken
• Italian: scoprire, discoprire, trovare
• Portuguese: descobrir
• Russian: открыва́ть
• Spanish: descubrir

1. (US) Discover Card, a brand of credit card.