From Middle English proof, from Old French prove, from Late Latin proba (“a proof”), from Latin probō (“to prove”); see prove; compare also the doublet probe.
Meanings
Used in proving or testing.
a proof load; a proof charge
Firm or successful in resisting.
quoted in 1818, Christopher Kelly, History of the French Revolution and of the Wars produced by that Memorable Event
The French cavalry, in proof armour, repeatedly charged our squares, their cannon opening chasms; but the British infantry, though greatly diminished, were inflexible and impenetrable to the last.
proof against harm
And opportunity I here have had / To try thee, ſift thee, and confeſs have found thee / Proof againſt all temptation as a rock / Of Adamant, and, as a Center, firm / To the utmoſt of meer man both wiſe and good, / Not more; […] 1671, John Milton, “The Fourth Book”, in Paradise Regain’d. A Poem. In IV Books. To which is Added, Samson Agonistes, London: […] J[ohn] M[acock] for John Starkey […], →OCLC, page 130, lines 528–533:
waterproof; bombproof
This was a good, ſtout proof article of faith, pronounced under an anathema, by the venerable fathers of this philoſophick ſynod. 1790, Edmund Burke, “Reflections on the Revolution in France”, in The Works of The Right Honourable Edmund Burke, volume 5, published 1803, page 426:
(of alcoholic liquors) Being of a certain standard as to alcohol content.
he ראיה (used in proving or testing) · ru -стойкий (firm or successful in resisting) · bg неподдаващ (firm or successful in resisting) · ru -прочный (firm or successful in resisting) · ru -упорный (firm or successful in resisting) · bg пруф (being of a certain standard as to strength) · fi testi- (used in proving or testing) · bg устойчив (firm or successful in resisting) · gd dìonach (firm or successful in resisting) · hu -álló (firm or successful in resisting) · fi koe- (used in proving or testing) · hu -biztos (firm or successful in resisting) · fi kestävä (firm or successful in resisting) · ga díonmhar (firm or successful in resisting) · bg доказателствен (used in proving or testing) · hu előírásos fokú (being of a certain standard as to strength)
From Middle English proof, from Old French prove, from Late Latin proba (“a proof”), from Latin probō (“to prove”); see prove; compare also the doublet probe.
Meanings
(countable) An effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth; an act of testing; a test; a trial.
1591, Edmund Spenser, Prosopopoia: or, Mother Hubbard's Tale, later also published in William Michael Rossetti, Humorous Poems,
But the false Fox most kindly played his part,
For whatsoever mother-wit or art
Could work he put in proof. No practice sly,
No counterpoint of cunning policy,
No reach, no breach, that might him profit bring.
But he the same did to his purpose wring.
France I more praise and love; you are, my lord,
Yourself for horsemanship much famed; and there
You shall have many proofs to shew your skill. c. 1633, John Ford, Love's Sacrifice, Act 1, Scene 1:
I need proof of your unconditional love. Lend me some dough.
A given quantity of the spirits was poured upon a quantity of gunpowder in a dish and set on fire. If at the end of the combustion, the gunpowder continued dry enough, it took fire and exploded; but if it had been wetted by the water in the spirits, the flame of the alcohol went out without setting the powder on fire. This was called the proof. 1831, Thomas Thomson, A System of Chemistry of Inorganic Bodies, volume 2:
(uncountable) The degree of evidence which convinces the mind of any truth or fact, and produces belief; a test by facts or arguments which induce, or tend to induce, certainty of the judgment; conclusive evidence; demonstration.
It was a grand sentence of Emanuel Swedenborg, which would alone indicate the greatness of that man's perception, — "It is no proof of a man's understanding to be able to confirm whatever he pleases; but to be able to discern that what is true is true, and that what is false is false, this is the mark and character of intelligence." 1841, Ralph Waldo Emerson, “The Over-Soul”, in Essays: First Series:
I'll have some proof. c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Othello, the Moore of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, (please specify the act number in uppercase Roman numerals, and the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals):
Faith, faith is an island in the setting sun
But proof, yes
Proof is the bottom line for everyone 1990 October 16, Paul Simon, “Proof”, in The Rhythm of the Saints, Warner Bros.:
(countable, uncountable) The quality or state of having been proved or tried; firmness or hardness which resists impression, or does not yield to force; impenetrability of physical bodies.
(countable, obsolete, uncountable) Experience of something.
But the chaste damzell, that had never priefe / Of such malengine and fine forgerye, / Did easely beleeve her strong extremitye. 1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book III, Canto I”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC:
(obsolete, uncountable) Firmness of mind; stability not to be shaken.
(countable) A proof sheet; a trial impression, as from type, taken for correction or examination.
And these men scour the printed proof for error, blunder, and misspelling. 2010, Andrea Levy, The Long Song, Tinder Press (2017), page 382:
(countable, uncountable) A limited-run high-quality strike of a particular coin, originally as a test run, although nowadays mostly for collectors' sets.
(countable) A sequence of statements consisting of axioms, assumptions, statements already demonstrated in another proof, and statements that logically follow from previous statements in the sequence, and which concludes with a statement that is the object of the proof.
(countable) A process for testing the accuracy of an operation performed. Compare prove, transitive verb, 5.
(countable, obsolete, uncountable) Armour of excellent or tried quality, and deemed impenetrable; properly, armour of proof.
Till that Bellona's bridegroom, lapped in proof c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, (please specify the act number in uppercase Roman numerals, and the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals):
(US, countable, uncountable) A measure of the alcohol content of liquor. Originally, in Britain, 100 proof was defined as 57.1% by volume (no longer used). In the US, 100 proof means that the alcohol content is 50% of the total volume of the liquid; thus, perfectly pure absolute alcohol would be 200 proof.
de Beweis (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · ko 증거 (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · ja 証拠 (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · cs důkaz (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · fi todistus (process for testing the accuracy of an operation performed) · kk дәлел (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · ba дәлил (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · ps ثبوت (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · pt prova (process for testing the accuracy of an operation performed) · ru доказа́тельство (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · th การพิสูจน์ (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · uz isbot (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · sk dôkaz (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · sq dëshmi (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · af proefmuntstuk (high-quality strike of a coin) · tl patunay (the degree of evidence which convinces the mind of any truth or fact, and produces belief) · hu korrektúralevonat (a proof sheet) · fr preuve (process for testing the accuracy of an operation performed) · ang sēþung (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · hu bizonyíték (the degree of evidence which convinces the mind of any truth or fact, and produces belief) · ru корректу́ра (a proof sheet) · es prueba (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · eo pruvo (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · fi vedos (a proof sheet) · km ភស្តុតាង (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · hu bizonyság (quality or state of having been proved or tried) · ms bukti (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · es prueba (the degree of evidence which convinces the mind of any truth or fact, and produces belief) · is sönnun (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · pdt Tieekjniss (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · tl patunay (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · kmr delîl (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · lld proa (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · la indicium (the degree of evidence which convinces the mind of any truth or fact, and produces belief) · hi प्रमाणिकता (quality or state of having been proved or tried) · ky далил (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · nb bevis (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · cmn 證據 /证据 (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · sc proa (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · es constatación (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · fi koe (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · bg доказан (quality or state of having been proved or tried) · lv pierādījums (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · rm cumprova (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · uz dalil (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · es comprobación (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · vi bằng chứng (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · kmr îzbat (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · az dəlil (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · he הוֹכָחָה (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · de polierte Platte (high-quality strike of a coin) · hu próba (process for testing the accuracy of an operation performed) · gl proba (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · hy ապացույց (the degree of evidence which convinces the mind of any truth or fact, and produces belief) · sl dokaz (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · et tõend (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · mi hāponotanga (quality or state of having been proved or tried) · sq provë (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · fr épreuve (a proof sheet) · sh до̏ка̄з (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · sc proba (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · az isbat (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · el απόδειξη (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · da bevis (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · sc prova (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · ca prova (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · ast prueba (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · hu bizonyosság (firmness of mind) · fur prove (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · ug ئىسپات (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · bg про́ба (process for testing the accuracy of an operation performed) · gd dearbhadh (the degree of evidence which convinces the mind of any truth or fact, and produces belief) · nn korrektur (a proof sheet) · gl proba (process for testing the accuracy of an operation performed) · nb korrektur (a proof sheet) · pt prova (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · it prova (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · sv bevis (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · tg далел (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · fi todistus (the degree of evidence which convinces the mind of any truth or fact, and produces belief) · de Druckfahne (a proof sheet) · uk до́від (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · be до́каз (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · fi todisteet (the degree of evidence which convinces the mind of any truth or fact, and produces belief) · gl proba (the degree of evidence which convinces the mind of any truth or fact, and produces belief) · gd dearbhadh (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · hi सबूत (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · ka მტკიცებულება (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · es prueba (a proof sheet) · mi hāponotanga (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · de Beweis (process for testing the accuracy of an operation performed) · pt provado (quality or state of having been proved or tried) · tg исбот (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · cs důkaz (process for testing the accuracy of an operation performed) · eo pruvo (the degree of evidence which convinces the mind of any truth or fact, and produces belief) · fa دَلیل (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · uk до́каз (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · ps اثبات (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · hi प्रमाण (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · oc pròva (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · gl probado (quality or state of having been proved or tried) · fr preuve (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · lt įrodymas (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · mr पुरावा (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · hy ապացույց (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · fi koestus (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · pt prova (a proof sheet) · bg доказа́телство (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · bg коректу́ра (a proof sheet) · mn баталгаа (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · ar دَلِيل (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · ro dovadă (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · ur ثَبُوت (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · pdt Bewiess (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · hu levonat (a proof sheet) · he רְאָיָה (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · mk доказ (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · tr kanıt (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · scn prova (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · pl dowód (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · ro probă (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · hu bizonyítás (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · nl bewijs (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · de Korrekturabzug (a proof sheet) · ckb بەلگە (the degree of evidence which convinces the mind of any truth or fact, and produces belief) · vec prova (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · ur دَلِیل (the degree of evidence which convinces the mind of any truth or fact, and produces belief) · grc ἀπόδειξις (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · tr delil (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · fa اثبات (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · ca prova (a proof sheet) · fr preuve (the degree of evidence which convinces the mind of any truth or fact, and produces belief) · gl proba (a proof sheet) · es ejecutoria (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · tt дәлил (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · la argūmentum (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · pt prova (the degree of evidence which convinces the mind of any truth or fact, and produces belief) · ar إِثْبَات (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · hi प्रमाण (the degree of evidence which convinces the mind of any truth or fact, and produces belief) · ug دەلىل (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · got 𐌺𐌿𐍃𐍄𐌿𐍃 (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · hu korrektúra (a proof sheet) · ar بُرْهَان (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · sh dȍkāz (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · tr ispat (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · ru пруф (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · az sübut (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth) · et tõestus (any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth)
From Middle English proof, from Old French prove, from Late Latin proba (“a proof”), from Latin probō (“to prove”); see prove; compare also the doublet probe.
Meanings
(colloquial, intransitive, transitive) To proofread.
(transitive) To make resistant, especially to water.
(transitive) To test-fire with a load considerably more powerful than the firearm in question's rated maximum chamber pressure, in order to establish the firearm's ability to withstand pressures well in excess of those expected in service without bursting.
(transitive) To allow (yeast-containing dough) to rise, especially after it has been shaped