prove
- to establish the truth or genuineness of, as by evidence or argument: to prove one's claim.
- Law. to establish the authenticity or validity of (a will); probate.
- to give demonstration of by action.
- to subject to a test, experiment, comparison, analysis, or the like, to determine quality, amount, acceptability, characteristics, etc.: to prove ore.
- to show (oneself) to have the character or ability expected of one, especially through one's actions.
- Mathematics. to verify the correctness or validity of by mathematical demonstration or arithmetical proof.
- Also proof. Printing. to take a trial impression of (type, a cut, etc.).
- to cause (dough) to rise to the necessary lightness.
- Archaic. to experience.
- to turn out: The experiment proved to be successful.
- to be found by trial or experience to be: His story proved false.
- (of dough) to rise to a specified lightness: Leave covered until it has proved.
Origin of prove
Synonyms for prove
See more synonyms for on Thesaurus.comAntonyms for prove
Usage note
Related Words for proven
confirm, verify, explain, show, try, convince, result, determine, substantiate, test, demonstrate, validate, find, justify, attest, back, evidence, corroborate, evince, checkExamples from the Web for proven
Contemporary Examples of proven
The North Korean hackers have proven to be a persistent adversary, if not the most skilled one.
But these must be proven under a signed and sworn statement and judged reasonable by the DOH.
A civilian corollary was proven when ISIS waterboarded journalist James Foley before beheading him.
But the deliverance and liberation that has been longed for by Jews and Christians has proven to be an elusive thing.
But so far, the lack of proven Roman artifacts or ruins in the town has raised suspicions.
Historical Examples of proven
Mr. Barlee was a proven friend of the colonists and of West Australia.
Explorations in AustraliaJohn Forrest
"Whether they're that remains to be proven, Mr. Baumberger!"
Good IndianB. M. Bower
Nor, indeed, could it ever have hurt her, coming from some one so proven as Gaspare.
A Spirit in PrisonRobert Hichens
Just as the one was proven to be older than the others and the others than the one.
ParmenidesPlato
But that after death the soul will continue to exist is not yet proven even to my own satisfaction.
PhaedoPlato
proven
- a past participle of prove
- See not proven
- tried; testeda proven method
prove
- (may take a clause as object or an infinitive) to establish or demonstrate the truth or validity of; verify, esp by using an established sequence of procedures or statements
- to establish the quality of, esp by experiment or scientific analysis
- law to establish the validity and genuineness of (a will)
- to show (oneself) able or courageous
- (copula) to be found or shown (to be)this has proved useless; he proved to be invaluable
- printing to take a trial impression of (type, etc)
- (intr) (of dough) to rise in a warm place before baking
- archaic to undergo
Word Origin for prove
Word Origin and History for proven
1650s, past participle adjective from alternative past participle (originally in Scottish legal use) of prove (v).
prove
late 12c., pruven, proven "to try, test; evaluate; demonstrate," from Old French prover, pruver "show; convince; put to the test" (11c., Modern French prouver), from Latin probare "to make good; esteem, represent as good; make credible, show, demonstrate; test, inspect; judge by trial" (source also of Spanish probar, Italian probare), from probus "worthy, good, upright, virtuous," from PIE *pro-bhwo- "being in front," from *pro-, extended form of root *per- (1) "forward, through" (see per), + root *bhu- "to be" (cf. Latin fui "I have been," futurus "about to be;" Old English beon "to be;" see be). Related: Proved; proven; proving.
Idioms and Phrases with proven
prove
In addition to the idiom beginning with prove
- prove out
also see:
- exception proves the rule