proof

¹

[ proof ]

noun

1. evidence sufficient to establish a thing as true, or to produce belief in its truth.

   Synonyms: support, corroboration, demonstration, confirmation

2. anything serving as such evidence:

   What proof do you have?

3. the act of testing or making trial of anything; test; trial:

   to put a thing to the proof.

   Synonyms: assay, examination

4. the establishment of the truth of anything; demonstration.
5. Law. (in judicial proceedings) evidence having probative weight.
6. the effect of evidence in convincing the mind.
7. an arithmetical operation serving to check the correctness of a calculation.
8. Mathematics, Logic. a sequence of steps, statements, or demonstrations that leads to a valid conclusion.
9. a test to determine the quality, durability, etc., of materials used in manufacture.
10. Distilling.
    1. the arbitrary standard strength, as of an alcoholic liquor.
    2. strength with reference to this standard: “100 proof ” signifies a proof spirit, usually 50% alcohol.
11. Photography. a trial print from a negative.
12. Printing.
    1. a trial impression, as of composed type, taken to correct errors and make alterations.
    2. one of a number of early and superior impressions taken before the printing of the ordinary issue:

       to pull a proof.

13. (in printmaking) an impression taken from a plate or the like to show the quality or condition of work during the process of execution; a print pulled for examination while working on a plate, block, stone, etc.
14. Numismatics. one of a limited number of coins of a new issue struck from polished dies on a blank having a polished or matte surface.
15. the state of having been tested and approved.
16. proved strength, as of armor.
17. Scots Law. the trial of a case by a judge alone, without a jury.

adjective

1. able to withstand; successful in not being overcome:

   proof against temptation.

   Synonyms: steadfast, firm

2. impenetrable, impervious, or invulnerable:

   proof against outside temperature changes.

3. used for testing or proving; serving as proof.
4. of standard strength, as an alcoholic liquor.
5. of tested or proven strength or quality:

   proof armor.

6. noting pieces of pure gold and silver that the U.S. assay and mint offices use as standards.

verb (used with object)

1. to test; examine for flaws, errors, etc.; check against a standard or standards.
2. Printing. prove ( def 7 ).
3. to proofread.
4. to treat or coat for the purpose of rendering resistant to deterioration, damage, etc. (often used in combination):

   to proof a house against termites; to shrink-proof a shirt.

5. Cooking.
   1. to test the effectiveness of (yeast), as by combining with warm water so that a bubbling action occurs.
   2. to cause (especially bread dough) to rise due to the addition of baker's yeast or other leavening.

-proof

²

1. a combining form meaning “resistant, impervious to” that specified by the initial element:

   burglarproof; childproof; waterproof.

-proof

¹

adjective

1. secure against (damage by); (make) impervious to

   mothproof

   childproof

   waterproof

proof

²

/ pruːf /

noun

1. any evidence that establishes or helps to establish the truth, validity, quality, etc, of something
2. law the whole body of evidence upon which the verdict of a court is based
3. maths logic a sequence of steps or statements that establishes the truth of a proposition See also direct induction induction
4. the act of testing the truth of something (esp in the phrase put to the proof )
5. Scots law trial before a judge without a jury
6. printing a trial impression made from composed type, or a print-out (from a laser printer, etc) for the correction of errors
7. (in engraving, etc) a print made by an artist or under his supervision for his own satisfaction before he hands the plate over to a professional printer
8. photog a trial print from a negative
9. 1. the alcoholic strength of proof spirit
   2. the strength of a beverage or other alcoholic liquor as measured on a scale in which the strength of proof spirit is 100 degrees

adjective

1. usually postpositivefoll byagainst able to resist; impervious (to)

   the roof is proof against rain

2. having the alcoholic strength of proof spirit
3. of proved strength or impenetrability

   proof armour

verb

1. tr to take a proof from (type matter, a plate, etc)
2. to proofread (text) or inspect (a print, etc), as for approval
3. to render (something) proof, esp to waterproof

proof

/ pro̅o̅f /

1. A demonstration of the truth of a mathematical or logical statement, based on axioms and theorems derived from those axioms.

Other Words From

• re-proof verb (used with object)
• un·proofed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of proof¹

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English prove, prooff, prof, proufe, alteration (by association with the vowel of prove ) of preove, proeve, prieve, pref, from Middle French preve, proeve, prueve, from Late Latin proba “a test,” akin to Latin probāre “to test and find good”; pree

Word History and Origins

Origin of proof¹

from proof (adj)

Origin of proof²

C13: from Old French preuve a test, from Late Latin proba, from Latin probāre to test

Synonym Study

See evidence.

Example Sentences

"With this study, we've found scientific proof that the Egyptian myths have some kind of truth and it helps us shed light on the poorly understood rituals that were likely carried out in the Bes Chambers in Saqqara, near the Great Pyramids at Giza."

From Science Daily

This particular proof of concept could be used in a wide range of applications, such as gas entrapment, oil separation, and removal of trace elements from water, but the researchers want to seek out unique encapsulation functions that can only be achieved with latent pores.

From Science Daily

"So a virus from a different species adapts faster when IFITM3 is not there. This was a proof of principle, because we're testing it in a mouse," Yount said.

From Science Daily

These seemingly silly studies provide proof of a phenomenon—and sometimes exercises in serendipity.

From Slate

FAIR’s affiliate legal organization worked to draft a bill in Arizona that gave law enforcement the right to stop people for proof of citizenship.

From Salon

Related Words

• argument
• clue
• confirmation
• criterion
• data
• demonstration
• information
• picture
• reason
• testament
• testimony
• validation
• verification

Words That Use -proof

What does -proof mean?

The combining form –proof is used like a suffix meaning “resistant, impervious to.” Impervious means “impenetrable.” It is occasionally used in a variety of everyday and technical terms.

The form –proof ultimately comes from Latin proba, meaning “test.”

Examples of -proof

One example of a term that uses the form –proof is soundproof, “impervious to sound.”

The first part of the word, sound–, means “sound” or “noise.” As we have seen, –proof means “resistant.” Soundproof literally means “resistant to sound.”

What are some words that use the combining form –proof?

• childproof
• fireproof
• runproof
• showerproof
• sunproof
• tamperproof
• waterproof

What are some other forms that –proof may be commonly confused with?

• -prone

Break it down!

Given the meaning of –proof, what does childproof mean?