Adjacent Words

Probe definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

PROBE, n. [L. probo.] A surgeon's instrument for examining the depth or other circumstances of a wound, ulcer or cavity, or the direction of a sinus, or for searching for stones in the bladder and the like.
PROBE, v.t. To examine a wound,ulcer or some cavity of the body, by the use of an instrument thrust into the part.
1. To search to the bottom; to scrutinize; to examine thoroughly into causes and circumstances.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: an inquiry into unfamiliar or questionable activities; "there was a congressional probe into the scandal" [syn: probe, investigation]
2: a flexible slender surgical instrument with a blunt end that is used to explore wounds or body cavities
3: an exploratory action or expedition
4: an investigation conducted using a flexible surgical instrument to explore an injury or a body cavity v
1: question or examine thoroughly and closely [syn: probe, examine]
2: examine physically with or as if with a probe; "probe an anthill" [syn: probe, dig into, poke into]

Merriam Webster's

I. noun Etymology: Medieval Latin proba examination, from Latin probare Date: 1580 1. a slender medical instrument used especially for exploration (as of a wound or body cavity) 2. a. any of various testing devices or substances: as (1) a pointed metal tip for making electrical contact with a circuit element being checked (2) a usually small object that is inserted into something so as to test conditions at a given point (3) a device used to penetrate or send back information especially from outer space or a celestial body (4) a device (as an ultrasound generator) or a substance (as radioactively labeled DNA) used to obtain specific information for diagnostic or experimental purposes b. a pipe on the receiving airplane thrust into the drogue of the delivering airplane in air refueling 3. a. the action of probing b. a penetrating or critical investigation c. a tentative exploratory advance or survey II. verb (probed; probing) Date: 1649 transitive verb 1. to search into and explore very thoroughly ; subject to a penetrating investigation 2. to examine with a probe <unmanned vehicles probed space> intransitive verb to make a searching exploratory investigation Synonyms: see enter • prober noun

U.S. Military Dictionary

In information operations, any attempt to gather information about an automated information system or its on-line users. See also information; information operations; information system. (JP 3-13)

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. & v. --n. 1 a penetrating investigation. 2 any small device, esp. an electrode, for measuring, testing, etc. 3 a blunt-ended surgical instrument usu. of metal for exploring a wound etc. 4 (in full space probe) an unmanned exploratory spacecraft transmitting information about its environment. --v.tr. 1 examine or enquire into closely. 2 explore (a wound or part of the body) with a probe. 3 penetrate with a sharp instrument. Derivatives: probeable adj. prober n. probingly adv. Etymology: LL proba proof, in med.L = examination, f. L probare test

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Probe Probe, n. (Surg.) An instrument for examining the depth or other circumstances of a wound, ulcer, or cavity, or the direction of a sinus, of for exploring for bullets, for stones in the bladder, etc. --Parr. Probe, or Probe-pointed, scissors (Surg.), scissors used to open wounds, the blade of which, to be thrust into the orifice, has a button at the end. --Wiseman.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Probe Probe, n. (Surg.) An instrument for examining the depth or other circumstances of a wound, ulcer, or cavity, or the direction of a sinus, of for exploring for bullets, for stones in the bladder, etc. --Parr. Probe, or Probe-pointed, scissors (Surg.), scissors used to open wounds, the blade of which, to be thrust into the orifice, has a button at the end. --Wiseman.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Probe Probe, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Probed; p. pr. & vb. n. Probing.] [L. probare to try, examine. See Prove.] 1. To examine, as a wound, an ulcer, or some cavity of the body, with a probe. 2. Fig.: to search to the bottom; to scrutinize or examine thoroughly. --Dryden. The growing disposition to probe the legality of all acts, of the crown. --Hallam.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(probes, probing, probed) 1. If you probe into something, you ask questions or try to discover facts about it. The more they probed into his background, the more inflamed their suspicions would become... For three years, I have probed for understanding... The Office of Fair Trading has been probing banking practices... The form asks probing questions. VERB: V into n, V for n, V n, V-ing • Probe is also a noun. ...a federal grand-jury probe into corruption within the FDA. N-COUNT • probing (probings) If he remains here, he'll be away from the press and their probings. N-COUNT 2. If a doctor or dentist probes, he or she uses a long instrument to examine part of a patient's body. The surgeon would pick up his instruments, probe, repair and stitch up again... Dr Amid probed around the sensitive area... VERB: V, V prep/adv 3. A probe is a long thin instrument that doctors and dentists use to examine parts of the body. ...a fibre-optic probe. N-COUNT 4. If you probe a place, you search it in order to find someone or something that you are looking for. A flashlight beam probed the underbrush only yards away from their hiding place... I probed around for some time in the bushes. VERB: V n, V adv/prep 5. In a conflict such as a war, if one side probes another side's defences, they try to find their weaknesses, for example by attacking them in specific areas using a small number of troops. (JOURNALISM) He probes the enemy's weak positions, ignoring his strongholds... VERB: V n • Probe is also a noun. Small probes would give the allied armies some combat experience before the main battle started. N-COUNT 6. A space probe is a spacecraft which travels into space with no people in it, usually in order to study the planets and send information about them back to earth. N-COUNT: usu n N

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

v. a. Prove, test, verify, investigate, scrutinize, examine, search, sound, explore, sift, look into.

Moby Thesaurus

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