PROBE


Meaning of PROBE in English

I. ˈprōb 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 ; prob·ing )

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

• prob·er noun

Merriam-Webster's Collegiate English vocabulary.      Энциклопедический словарь английского языка Merriam Webster.