1. vt.发现　 find or learn out
2. vt.碰见，撞见　 find unexpectedly
3. vt.了解到，认识到，发觉　 come to know; realize

　～ a new star　发现一颗新的恒星
　～ a particular activity　发现特定的活动
　～ a thief　发现小偷
　～ America　发现美洲
　～ facts　发现事实
　～ gold mine　发现金矿
　～ mistakes　发现错误
　～ new coal mines　发现新煤矿
　～ one's identity　暴露自己的身份
　～ subject　发现学科
　～ the islands　发现岛屿
　～ the law of gravity　发现万有引力定律
　～ the truth　查明真相
　～ vast realms of the spirit　显示出广阔的天地
　～ long ago　很久以前就发现
　～ sooner or later　迟早发现
　～ then　然后发现
　～ too late　很晚发现
　～ amazingly　惊奇地发现
　～ astonishingly　惊奇地发现
　～ astoundingly　震惊地发现
　～ finally　最终发现
　～ miraculously　不可思议地发现
　～ painfully　充满艰辛地发现
　～ readily　有准备地发现
　～ remarkably　非凡地发现
　～ scientifically　科学上发现
　～ spectacularly　壮观地发现
　～ startlingly　大吃一惊地发现
　～ stupendously　了不起地发现
　～ subsequently　随之发现
　～ suddenly　突然发觉
　～ thrillingly　惊心动魄地发现
　～ traitorously　发现不忠
　～ trivially　不重要地发现
　～ among　在…之中发现
　～ sth by　通过…发现某物

　He was dead for three weeks before anyone discovered him.　他死了三个星期才被人发现。
　As soon as he discovered the police, he ran away.　他一见有警察就立即跑掉了。
　One day while sweeping the compound he discovered seven eggs in a pile of straw.　一天，他打扫院子时，发现乱草堆里有7个鸡蛋。
　The prospectors have discovered such minerals as calcite, quartz here.　探矿人员在这里发现了方解石、石英等矿藏。
　Recently they have discovered a comet.　最近他们发现了一颗彗星。
　Our oil-workers have discovered another big oil field.　我们的石油工人又发现了一个新油田。
　Columbus discovered America, but did not explore the new continent.　哥伦布发现了美洲，但未勘探此新大陆。
　He discovered his mistake too late.　他对自己的错误发现得太晚了。
　Gilbert discovered electricity, but Edison invented the light bulb.　吉尔伯特发现了电，但爱迪生发明了电灯泡。
　Modern astronomers have discovered over 100 million such galaxies.　现代天文学家发现了一亿多个这样的星系。
　The prisoner had discovered the danger and was now working very quietly.　那个犯人已察觉了危险，这时他的动作特别小心了。
　Issac Newton discovered the law of gravity.　艾萨克·牛顿发现了万有引力定律。
　She would not discover her name to the stranger.　她不愿意把自己的名字透露给那个陌生人。
　He discovered their plans to his brother.　他把他们的计划透露给了他的弟弟。
　He was cautious lest he should be discovered by the enemy.　他很小心谨慎以免被敌人发现。
　If their identity had been discovered it would have meant sure death.　要是他们的身份被敌人发现，那将必死无疑。
　Xi Er was at last discovered in a cave where she had been living for many years.　最后人们终于在一个山洞里找到了喜儿，她在那里已经住了多年了。
　The bicycle which had disappeared was discovered at the football ground.　那辆不见了的自行车在足球场上找到了。
　If one is discovered to have developed high blood-pressure or heart-disease, he is immediately transferred to light work.　如果发现谁得了高血压或心脏病，就立即调去做较轻的工作。
　His talent as an author was soon discovered.　他的写作才能很快被发现了。
　The first virus was discovered in 1898.　第一例病毒是在1898年发现的。
　I never discovered how to open the box.　我一直未能弄清该如何打开这个箱子。
　He discovered how to start the machine.　他搞清怎样开动这台机器了。
　They have not discovered how to improve their techniques.　他们还没找到提高技术水平的方法。
　Chemists discovered how to make synthetic rubber.　化学家发现了制造合成橡胶的方法。
　Issac Newton discovered that white light is made of seven colours.　艾萨克·牛顿发现自然光是由七种颜色组成的。
　We have discovered that he is quite careless in his work.　我们发现他工作很粗心。
　I suddenly discovered that I forgot my wallet in the taxi.　我突然发现我把钱包忘在出租车上了。
　We discovered that we had been cheated.　我们发现受骗了。
　We discovered that it was too late to do anything about it.　我们意识到对它做任何工作都太晚了。
　We suddenly discovered that it was too late to catch the train.　我们突然发现已赶不上火车了。
　Scientists have discovered that this disease is carried by rats.　科学家们已发现这种疾病是老鼠传播的。
　The doctor discovered that he had T. B. of the lung.　医生发现他患有肺结核。
　She discovered that she was being closely watched.　她发现她在被人监视。
　A certain scientist had discovered that a metal called uranium gave off a kind of radiation, which Marie Curie was later to call radioactivity.　有一位科学家曾经发现了一种叫做铀的金属具有辐射性，后来玛丽·居里夫人把这种现象称作放射性。
　Finally they discovered that he was leaving them to search for wild plants for his meals.　最后他们发现他走开是为了寻找野菜充饥。
　Police have discovered that Mary's money was stolen by her neighbor.　警察已经发现玛丽的钱是她邻居偷的。
　The enemy started to retreat, but they discovered that it was too late, for the bridge they had to pass had been destroyed.　敌人开始撤退，但是为时已晚，因为他们必须经过的桥早被毁坏了。
　I quickly went to the nearby village but discovered that there was not a person to be seen.　我赶快跑到附近一个村子里，发现村里连一个人影也看不到。
　It was discovered that their food was running short.　他们发现粮食快吃完了。
　It was discovered that her pearls were missing.　她的珍珠项链不见了。
　At last I have discovered what true pleasure is.　我终于明白什么是真正的快乐了。
　Have you discovered when they are going to attack us?　你有没有打探到他们将在何时进攻我们?
　We'll discover who did it.　我们会查出谁干的。
　Did you ever discover who sent you the flowers?　你有没有搞清楚这花是谁送给你的?
　Has the doctor discovered how the man died? 　医生查出这个男人是怎么死的了吗?
　We discovered her to be a good cook.　我们发现她是一个很好的厨师。
　They discovered her to be a good singer.　他们发现她是个好歌手。
　We discovered her to be a good dancer.　我们发现她是一位出色的舞蹈家。
　We discovered him to be an impostor.　我们发现他是个冒名顶替的骗子。
　The public eventually discovered it to be a deception.　公众终于发现这是一个骗局。
　If she was discovered to be pregnant, she would be fired.　一旦她被发现怀孕就要被解雇。
　When returning back, he discovered the room to be in disorder.　回家后，他发现屋子里乱七八糟。
　She discovered the cat under the table.　她发现那只猫在桌子下。
　We discovered them sitting round a fire and talking.　我们发现他们围着火坐着在谈话。
　An old man discovered the boy stealing the pens.　一位老人发现那男孩在偷钢笔。
　They discovered him stealing public property.　他们发现他盗窃公共财产。
　I discovered him living next to me.　我发现他就住在我的隔壁。
　He was ashamed to think that they should discover him doing such a thing.　他们发现他做这样的事，他感到羞愧。
　He was asked to resign from the club when he was discovered cheating at cards.　人们发现他在玩纸牌时作弊，就要求他退出那个俱乐部。
　We discovered the powder to consist of harmful ingredients.　我们发现这种粉末含有害成分。
　The policemen discovered the murderer to have run away.　警察发现凶手已逃之夭夭。

 ♣ discover, find, find out, invent, look for
　这组词（组）都有“发明”“发现”的意思。discover指发现或偶然发现原来就存在但一直未被认识的东西；look for作“寻找”解时，指寻找的动作和过程；find指寻找的结果，即“找到”，是非延续性动词，不如discover正式；find out指经过观察、调查把某事、某物查出来，搞清楚，弄明白，多用于复杂而不易直接查出的情况；invent指发明原来不存在的东西，有时也可指虚构、捏造。例如：
　Whilhelm Roentgen discovered X rays.　威尔海尔姆·伦琴发现了X射线。
　He was amazed to find her there.　发现她在那里，他很吃惊。
　Let's try and find out what's at the back of this problems.　咱们想法弄清问题的背景是怎样的。
　Whatt invented the steam engine.　瓦特发明了蒸汽机。
　She ran across some old letters when she was looking for something else.　她找别的东西时，偶然翻出几封过去的信。
 ♣ discover, uncover
　这两个词都是由cover加表示否定意义的前缀构成的，都是“发现”的意思。其区别是：uncover只用于贬义，一般译作“揭露”。另外， discover还可接复合宾语，而uncover不可。例如：
　We uncovered the essence of the thing.　我们揭露了那件事的本质。
 ♣ discover, ascertain, determine, learn, unearth
　参见determine条。
 ♣ discover, betray, disclose, divulge, expose, reveal
　参见reveal条。
 ♣ 下面三句意思相同：

　我发现他们正在我们的池子里游泳。
　［误］ I discovered swimming in our pool.
　［正］ I discovered them swimming in our pool.
　［析］ discover不可接动名词作宾语，但可接以现在分词充当补足语的复合宾语。

　［同义词］ ascertain, determine, find out, learn, unearth
　［反义词］ conceal, hide
　［词源］　中古英语discoveren（发现，暴露，显示）