/ prəʊb; NAmE proʊb/ verb , noun
■ verb
1.
probe (into sth) to ask questions in order to find out secret or hidden information about sb/sth
SYN investigate :
[ v ]
He didn't like the media probing into his past.
[ vn ]
a TV programme that probed government scandals in the 1990s
[also v speech ]
2.
[ vn ] to touch, examine or look for sth, especially with a long thin instrument :
The doctor probed the wound for signs of infection.
Searchlights probed the night sky.
■ noun
1.
probe (into sth) (used especially in newspapers) a thorough and careful investigation of sth :
a police probe into the financial affairs of the company
2.
(also ˈspace probe ) a spacecraft without people on board which obtains information and sends it back to earth
3.
( technical ) a long thin metal tool used by doctors for examining inside the body
4.
( technical ) a small device put inside sth and used by scientists to test sth or record information
••
WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English (as a noun): from late Latin proba proof (in medieval Latin examination), from Latin probare to test. The verb dates from the mid 17th cent.