/prΔ«z/
noun:
1. something that can be won in a competition, race, lottery, etc.
βBe it jewel or toy, not the prize gives the joy, but the striving to win the prize.β Edward G. Bulwer-Lytton, 1803 β 1873
2. a reward given as a symbol of victory or superiority βNo one undertakes research in physics with the intention of winning a prize. It is the joy of discovering something no one knew before.β Stephen Hawking, 1942 β adjective: 3. supremely excellent or outstanding for its kind βAmong my most prized possessions are words that I have never spoken.β Orson Scott Card, 1951 β transitive verb: 4. value highly βOur defense is in the preservation of the spirit which prizes liberty as a heritage of all men, in all lands, everywhere. Destroy this spirit and you have planted the seeds of despotism around your own doors.β Abraham Lincoln, 1809 β 1855