Prove
[pruːv] or [pruv]
Definition
(verb.) establish the validity of something, as by an example, explanation or experiment; 'The experiment demonstrated the instability of the compound'; 'The mathematician showed the validity of the conjecture'.
(verb.) prove formally; demonstrate by a mathematical, formal proof.
(verb.) obtain probate of; 'prove a will'.
(verb.) take a trial impression of.
(verb.) be shown or be found to be; 'She proved to be right'; 'The medicine turned out to save her life'; 'She turned up HIV positive'.
Edited by Daisy--From WordNet
Definition
(v. t.) To try or to ascertain by an experiment, or by a test or standard; to test; as, to prove the strength of gunpowder or of ordnance; to prove the contents of a vessel by a standard measure.
(v. t.) To evince, establish, or ascertain, as truth, reality, or fact, by argument, testimony, or other evidence.
(v. t.) To ascertain or establish the genuineness or validity of; to verify; as, to prove a will.
(v. t.) To gain experience of the good or evil of; to know by trial; to experience; to suffer.
(v. t.) To test, evince, ascertain, or verify, as the correctness of any operation or result; thus, in subtraction, if the difference between two numbers, added to the lesser number, makes a sum equal to the greater, the correctness of the subtraction is proved.
(v. t.) To take a trial impression of; to take a proof of; as, to prove a page.
(v. i.) To make trial; to essay.
(v. i.) To be found by experience, trial, or result; to turn out to be; as, a medicine proves salutary; the report proves false.
(v. i.) To succeed; to turn out as expected.
Checker: Susie
Synonyms and Synonymous
v. a. [1]. Demonstrate, show, manifest, confirm, establish, evidence, evince, substantiate, verify, make good.[2]. Try, test, examine, make trial of, put to the test, experiment upon, submit to the test or proof.
v. n. Turn out, be found to be.
Checker: Mortimer
Synonyms and Antonyms
SYN: assay, test, establish, demonstrate, ascertain, argue, show, confirm,examine, substantiate, make_trial_of, verify, ascertain
ANT:Pass, pretermit, misdemonstrate, misindicate, refute, disprove, contradict,disestablish, neutralize
Checker: Monroe
Definition
v.t. to try by experiment or by a test or standard: to make certain: to try by suffering: to establish or ascertain as truth by argument or other evidence: to demonstrate: to ascertain the genuineness of: to experience or suffer: (math.) to ascertain the correctness of any result.—v.i. to make trial: to turn out: to be shown afterwards.—n. Prov′er.—The exception proves the rule the exception tests the rule proving its general truth.
Checked by Douglas
Examples
- He took pains to prove that he only just tolerated me. Charlotte Bronte. Shirley.
- You see all _facts_ go to prove what I say. Charlotte Bronte. Shirley.
- It will decide my career, for if I have any genius, I shall find it out in Rome, and will do something to prove it. Louisa May Alcott. Little Women.
- I hope we may not prove too much for one another. Charles Dickens. Our Mutual Friend.
- The flora of the Galapagos Islands prove d equally distinctive. Walter Libby. An Introduction to the History of Science.
- Against artillery of the present day the land forts and walls would prove elements of weakness rather than strength. Ulysses S. Grant. Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant.
- His labors, however, were interrupt ed by the death of his assistant Flemming, and by his own illness, which proved fatal in 1846, a few months before the actual discovery of Neptune. Walter Libby. An Introduction to the History of Science.
- This was done with effect, as is proved by the Confederate reports. Ulysses S. Grant. Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant.
- If they, too, proved unable to assist me, my resources for the present were at an end, and I might return to town. Wilkie Collins. The Woman in White.
- On scrutiny they proved to be French compositions, written in a hand peculiar but compact, and exquisitely clean and clear. Charlotte Bronte. Shirley.
- This work proved too hard, his health broke down, and he was compelled to give up the position. Rupert S. Holland. Historic Inventions.
- DEAR SIR, I am glad the little book[23] proved acceptable. Benjamin Franklin. Memoirs of Benjamin Franklin.
- This proving a failure, he, in 1830, turned his attention to the improvement of rubber goods. William Henry Doolittle. Inventions in the Century.
- It is impossible that I should escape this proving through the accident of a message. Hemingway, Ernest. For Whom The Bell Tolls.
- Now if one half of the people is bent upon proving how wicked a man is and the other half is determined to show how good he is, neither half will think very much about the nation. Walter Lippmann. A Preface to Politics.
- Now, the very grossness of this flattery put Bella upon proving that she actually did please in spite of herself. Charles Dickens. Our Mutual Friend.
- An interest in discovery took the place of an interest in systematizing and proving received beliefs. John Dewey. Democracy and Education.
- Fortunately he recovered, and in time went back to the work which was proving so invaluable for the world of science. Rupert S. Holland. Historic Inventions.
- I am afraid that proves you are already caught. Charlotte Bronte. Shirley.
- This proves that he can leave the Churchills. Jane Austen. Emma.
- That proves you must have been an honest and faithful servant. Charlotte Bronte. Jane Eyre.
- The absurdity of the two last suppositions proves sufficiently the veracity of the firSt. Nor is there any fourth opinion. David Hume. A Treatise of Human Nature.
- This connexion or constant conjunction sufficiently proves the one part to be the cause of the other. David Hume. A Treatise of Human Nature.
- I admit that the mark of the paint proves the nightgown to have made the smear on Rachel's door. Wilkie Collins. The Moonstone.
- The Wilmington expedition has proven a gross and culpable failure. Ulysses S. Grant. Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant.
- It trebled the output of grain, and the welfare of the people has proven largely dependent on their food supply. Rupert S. Holland. Historic Inventions.
- Nay, it is common and proven knowledge with _Gitanos_. Hemingway, Ernest. For Whom The Bell Tolls.
- Second--To devise an electric lamp that would give about the same amount of light as a gas jet, which custom had proven to be a suitable and useful unit. Frank Lewis Dyer. Edison, His Life and Inventions.
- Even if the canal had proven a success, so far as to be navigable for steamers, it could not have been of much advantage to us. Ulysses S. Grant. Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant.
- It has been proven conclusively that they can not worship together around the grave of the Saviour of the World in peace. Mark Twain. The Innocents Abroad.
Edited by Adela