discover

discover or determine the existence, presence, or fact of

• “She detected high levels of lead in her drinking water”
• “We found traces of lead in the paint”

make a discovery, make a new finding

• “Roentgen discovered X-rays”
• “Physicists believe they found a new elementary particle”

get to know or become aware of, usually accidentally

• “I learned that she has two grown-up children”
• “I see that you have been promoted”

make a discovery

• “She found that he had lied to her”
• “The story is false, so far as I can discover”

find unexpectedly

• “the archeologists chanced upon an old tomb”
• “she struck a goldmine”
• “The hikers finally struck the main path to the lake”

make known to the public information that was previously known only to a few people or that was meant to be kept a secret

• “The auction house would not disclose the price at which the van Gogh had sold”
• “The actress won”
• “;”

see for the first time; make a discovery

• “Who discovered the North Pole?”

identify as in botany or biology, for example