The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Descry \De*scry"\, n.
   Discovery or view, as of an army seen at a distance. [Obs.]
   [1913 Webster]

         Near, and on speedy foot; the main descry
         Stands on the hourly thought.            --Shak.
   [1913 Webster]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Descry \De*scry"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Descried; p. pr. & vb.
   n. Descrying.] [OE. descrien, discrien, to espy, prob. from
   the proclaiming of what was espied, fr. OF. descrier to
   proclaim, cry down, decry, F. d['e]crier. The word was
   confused somewhat with OF. descriven, E. describe, OF.
   descrivre, from L. describere. See Decry.]
   1. To spy out or discover by the eye, as objects distant or
      obscure; to espy; to recognize; to discern; to discover.
      [1913 Webster]

            And the house of Joseph sent to descry Bethel.
                                                  --Judg. i. 23.
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            Edmund, I think, is gone . . . to descry
            The strength o' the enemy.            --Shak.
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            And now their way to earth they had descried.
                                                  --Milton.
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   2. To discover; to disclose; to reveal. [R.]
      [1913 Webster]

            His purple robe he had thrown aside, lest it should
            descry him.                           --Milton.

   Syn: To see; behold; espy; discover; discern.
        [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

descry
    v 1: catch sight of [syn: descry, spot, espy, spy]

Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:

50 Moby Thesaurus words for "descry":
   appreciate, behold, catch, catch sight of, clap eyes on,
   come alive, comprehend, detect, discern, discover, distinguish,
   encounter, espy, glimpse, have in sight, hit, identify, ken,
   lay eyes on, look on, look upon, make out, mark, meet with, note,
   notice, observe, penetrate, perceive, pick out, pick up, pierce,
   plumb, realize, recognize, see, see daylight, see into,
   see the light, see through, sense, sight, spot, spy, take in,
   turn up, twig, understand, view, witness