English UsageGrammar guide

Privy To: Standard Pattern

Privy To: Standard Pattern records the directly documented construction and keeps guidance bounded to the evidenced pattern rather than inventing a broader prohibition.

Quick answer

Use “be privy to” when someone has been given or has access to private or restricted information.

Key details

Confusion Familyusage-construction
Rule Familyadjective complement
Termsprivy to

Further guidance

Construction

Use “be privy to” when someone has been given or has access to private or restricted information.

Style Boundary

This guide covers the documented information-access construction; the unrelated old noun “privy” is outside this usage rule.

Sources and evidence

Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.

  1. BE PRIVY TO SOMETHING - Cambridge English Dictionary (opens in a new tab)Cambridge University Press & Assessment · Cambridge dictionary evidence for be privy to as a documented construction.

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Accountable For: Standard Pattern

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Acquainted With: Standard Pattern

Acquainted With: Standard Pattern records a directly documented English construction and keeps guidance bounded to the evidenced pattern rather than inventing a broader prohibition.

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Addicted To: Standard Pattern

Addicted To: Standard Pattern records a directly documented English construction and keeps guidance bounded to the evidenced pattern rather than inventing a broader prohibition.

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Adept At: Standard Pattern

Adept At: Standard Pattern records a directly documented English construction and keeps guidance bounded to the evidenced pattern rather than inventing a broader prohibition.

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Adjacent To: Standard Pattern

Adjacent To: Standard Pattern records the directly documented construction and keeps guidance bounded to the evidenced complement pattern rather than inventing a broader prohibition.

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