Prove /(?)/

Prove

v. t.

imp. & p. p. Proved; p. pr. & vb. n. Proving

  1. 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.
    Thou hast proved mine heart.
    — Ps. xvii. 3.
  2. To evince, establish, or ascertain, as truth, reality, or fact, by argument, testimony, or other evidence.
    They have inferred much from slender premises, and conjectured when they could not prove.
  3. To ascertain or establish the genuineness or validity of; to verify; as, to prove a will.
  4. To gain experience of the good or evil of; to know by trial; to experience; to suffer.
    Where she, captived long, great woes did prove.
  5. 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. (Arith.)
  6. To take a trial impression of; to take a proof of; as, to prove a page. (Printing)

Prove

v. i.
  1. To make trial; to essay.
  2. To be found by experience, trial, or result; to turn out to be; as, a medicine proves salutary; the report proves false.
    So life a winter's morn may prove.
  3. To succeed; to turn out as expected. [Obs.]