DISCOVER, See Cover.
1. Literally, to uncover to remove a covering. Isaiah 22 .
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 .
Law can discover sin, but not remove.
3. To reveal to make known.
We will discover ourselves to them. 1 Samuel 14 .
Discover not a secret to another. Proverbs 25 .
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 .
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.