discovery

discovery
    n 1: the act of discovering something [syn: {discovery}, {find},
         {uncovering}]
    2: something that is discovered
    3: a productive insight [syn: {discovery}, {breakthrough},
       {find}]
    4: (law) compulsory pretrial disclosure of documents relevant to
       a case; enables one side in a litigation to elicit
       information from the other side concerning the facts in the
       case
    

Discovery \Dis*cov"er*y\, n.; pl. {Discoveries}.
   1. The action of discovering; exposure to view; laying open;
      showing; as, the discovery of a plot.
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   2. A making known; revelation; disclosure; as, a bankrupt is
      bound to make a full discovery of his assets.
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            In the clear discoveries of the next [world].
                                                  --South.
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   3. Finding out or ascertaining something previously unknown
      or unrecognized; as, Harvey's discovery of the circulation
      of the blood.
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            A brilliant career of discovery and conquest.
                                                  --Prescott.
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            We speak of the "invention" of printing, the
            discovery of America.                 --Trench.
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   4. That which is discovered; a thing found out, or for the
      first time ascertained or recognized; as, the properties
      of the magnet were an important discovery.
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   5. Exploration; examination. [Obs.]
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Discovery-Spring Garden, MD -- U.S. Census Designated Place in Maryland
   Population (2000):    2152
   Housing Units (2000): 731
   Land area (2000):     0.952716 sq. miles (2.467522 sq. km)
   Water area (2000):    0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km)
   Total area (2000):    0.952716 sq. miles (2.467522 sq. km)
   FIPS code:            23005
   Located within:       Maryland (MD), FIPS 24
   Location:             39.463960 N, 77.360581 W
   ZIP Codes (1990):    
   Note: some ZIP codes may be omitted esp. for suburbs.
   Headwords:
    Discovery-Spring Garden, MD
    Discovery-Spring Garden
    Discovery, MD
    Discovery
    

DISCOVERY, intern. law. The act of finding an unknown country. 
     2. The nations of Europe adopted the principle, that the discovery of 
any part of America gave title to the government by whose subjects, or by 
whose authority it was made, against all European governments. This title 
was to be consummated by possession. 8 Wheat. 543. 
    

DISCOVERY, practice, pleading. The act of disclosing or revealing by a 
defendant, in his answer to a bill filed against him in a court of equity. 
Vide Bill of Discovery; 8 Vin. Ab. 537; 8 Com. Dig: 515. 
    

DISCOVERY; rights. The patent laws of the United States use this word as 
synonymous with invention or improvement of July 4, 1836, s. 6. 
    

60 Moby Thesaurus words for "discovery":
      apocalypse, ascertaining, baring, bonus, breakthrough,
      buried treasure, coinage, conception, detection, determining,
      development, disclosing, disclosure, discovering, espial,
      exploration, expose, exposition, exposure, find, finding,
      foundling, gravy, idea, innovation, introduction, invention,
      laying bare, leap, manifestation, neologism, new phase, novelty,
      origination, patefaction, recognition, removing the veil,
      revealing, revealment, revelation, showing up, showup, strike,
      stripping, treasure trove, trouvaille, trove, uncloaking,
      uncovering, unearthing, unfolding, unfoldment, unmasking,
      unveiling, unwrapping, waifs, waifs and strays, windfall,
      windfall money, windfall profit