probe

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Related to probes: Dna probes

probe

(prōb)

a. A slender, flexible surgical instrument used to explore a wound or body cavity.

b. An electrode or other device that can be placed inside something to take and convey measurements.

c. A substance, such as DNA, that is radioactively labeled or otherwise marked and used to detect or identify another substance in a sample.

d. A space probe.

a. An exploratory action or expedition, especially one designed to investigate and obtain information on a remote or unknown region: the scouts' probe of enemy territory.

b. The act of exploring or searching with a device or instrument: the surgeon's probe of the clogged artery.

c. An investigation into unfamiliar matters or questionable activities; a penetrating inquiry: a congressional probe into price fixing; a reporter's probe into a public figure's past. See Synonyms at inquiry.

v. probed, prob·ing, probes

v.tr.

a. To penetrate or explore physically, especially with a probe, in order to find or discover something: "Chimpanzees use a variety of tools to probe termite mounds" (Virginia Morell).

b. To investigate by means of a chemical probe.

a. To make an inquiry about (something); investigate or examine: probed the impact of technology on social behavior.

b. To subject (a person) to questioning; interrogate.

v.intr.

1. To make a physical search, especially by penetrating with a probe: birds probing in the sand for clams.

2. To pose questions or conduct an investigation: The police are probing into what really happened.

[Middle English, examination, from Medieval Latin proba, from Late Latin, proof, from Latin probāre, to test, from probus, good; see per in Indo-European roots.]

prob′er n.

prob′ing·ly adv.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

probe

(prəʊb)

1. (tr) to search into or question closely

2. to examine (something) with or as if with a probe

3. something that probes, examines, or tests

4. (Surgery) surgery a slender and usually flexible instrument for exploring a wound, sinus, etc

5. a thorough inquiry, such as one by a newspaper into corrupt practices

6. (Electronics) electronics a lead connecting to or containing a measuring or monitoring circuit used for testing

7. (Electronics) electronics a conductor inserted into a waveguide or cavity resonator to provide coupling to an external circuit

8. (Aeronautics) any of various devices that provide a coupling link, esp a flexible tube extended from an aircraft to link it with another so that it can refuel

9. (Astronautics) See space probe

[C16: from Medieval Latin proba investigation, from Latin probāre to test]

ˈprobeable adj

ˈprober n

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

probe

(proʊb)

v. probed, prob•ing,
n. v.t.

1. to search into or examine thoroughly: to probe one's conscience.

2. to explore with a probe.

v.i.

3. to examine or explore with or as if with a probe.

4. a slender surgical instrument for exploring the depth or direction of a wound, sinus, or the like.

5. any slender device inserted into something in order to explore, test, or examine.

6. the act of probing.

7. an investigation, esp. by a legislative committee, of suspected illegal activity.

8. space probe.

a. DNA probe.

b. any labeled or otherwise identifiable substance that is used to detect or isolate another substance in a biological system or specimen.

[1555–65; < Medieval Latin proba examination, Late Latin: test, derivative of Latin probāre (see prove)]

prob′er, n.

probe

, prove, probable - Latin probare, "approve, prove, test," is the source of English probe and prove. From that came Latin probabilis, "provable," which became English probable.

probe

In information operations, any attempt to gather information about an automated information system or its on-line users. See also information; information operations; information system.

Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms. US Department of Defense 2005.

probe

Past participle: probed
Gerund: probing

Imperative
probe
probe

Present
I probe
you probe
he/she/it probes
we probe
you probe
they probe

Preterite
I probed
you probed
he/she/it probed
we probed
you probed
they probed

Present Continuous
I am probing
you are probing
he/she/it is probing
we are probing
you are probing
they are probing

Present Perfect
I have probed
you have probed
he/she/it has probed
we have probed
you have probed
they have probed

Past Continuous
I was probing
you were probing
he/she/it was probing
we were probing
you were probing
they were probing

Past Perfect
I had probed
you had probed
he/she/it had probed
we had probed
you had probed
they had probed

Future
I will probe
you will probe
he/she/it will probe
we will probe
you will probe
they will probe

Future Perfect
I will have probed
you will have probed
he/she/it will have probed
we will have probed
you will have probed
they will have probed

Future Continuous
I will be probing
you will be probing
he/she/it will be probing
we will be probing
you will be probing
they will be probing

Present Perfect Continuous
I have been probing
you have been probing
he/she/it has been probing
we have been probing
you have been probing
they have been probing

Future Perfect Continuous
I will have been probing
you will have been probing
he/she/it will have been probing
we will have been probing
you will have been probing
they will have been probing

Past Perfect Continuous
I had been probing
you had been probing
he/she/it had been probing
we had been probing
you had been probing
they had been probing

Conditional
I would probe
you would probe
he/she/it would probe
we would probe
you would probe
they would probe

Past Conditional
I would have probed
you would have probed
he/she/it would have probed
we would have probed
you would have probed
they would have probed

Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Switch to new thesaurus

Noun	1.	probe - an inquiry into unfamiliar or questionable activities; "there was a congressional probe into the scandal" investigation inquiry, research, enquiry - a search for knowledge; "their pottery deserves more research than it has received" fishing expedition - an investigation undertaken in the hope (but not the stated purpose) of discovering information
	2.	probe - a flexible slender surgical instrument with a blunt end that is used to explore wounds or body cavities surgical instrument - a medical instrument used in surgery
	3.	probe - an exploratory action or expedition exploration - a careful systematic search
	4.	probe - an investigation conducted using a flexible surgical instrument to explore an injury or a body cavity research - systematic investigation to establish facts
Verb	1.	probe - question or examine thoroughly and closely examine enquire, investigate, inquire - conduct an inquiry or investigation of; "The district attorney's office investigated reports of possible irregularities"; "inquire into the disappearance of the rich old lady" re-examine - question after cross-examination by opposing counsel; "re-examine one's witness" investigate, look into - investigate scientifically; "Let's investigate the syntax of Chinese" hear, try - examine or hear (evidence or a case) by judicial process; "The jury had heard all the evidence"; "The case will be tried in California"
	2.	probe - examine physically with or as if with a probe; "probe an anthill" dig into, poke into penetrate, perforate - pass into or through, often by overcoming resistance; "The bullet penetrated her chest" gutter - wear or cut gutters into; "The heavy rain guttered the soil"

probe

verb

1. (often with into) examine, research, go into, investigate, explore, test, sound, search, look into, query, verify, sift, analyze, dissect, delve into, work over, scrutinize The more they probed into his background, the more suspicious they became.

2. explore, examine, poke, prod, feel around A doctor probed deep in his shoulder wound for shrapnel.

noun

1. investigation, study, research, inquiry, analysis, examination, exploration, scrutiny, inquest, scrutinization a federal grand-jury probe into corruption within the FDA

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

probe

noun

1. The act or an instance of exploring or investigating:

exploration, investigation, reconnaissance.

2. Something, as a remark, used to determine the attitude of another:

feeler.

Idiom: trial balloon.

3. A seeking of knowledge, data, or the truth about something:

inquest, inquiry, inquisition, investigation, research.

verb

1. To go into or through for the purpose of making discoveries or acquiring information:

delve, dig, explore, inquire, investigate, look into, reconnoiter, scout.

2. To test the attitude of:

feel out, sound (out).

Idioms: put out feelers, send up a trial balloon.

Translations

تَحْقيقمِسْبَر الطَّبيبيُحَقَّق فييَسْبُر، يَفْحَص

prošetřovatprůzkumsondasondovatvyšetřování

snagesondeundersøgeundersøgelse

Sonde sondieren Untersuchung eindringen

comprobar explorar investigación investigar sonda

enquête enquêter sonde sonder sondeuse

alapos vizsgálatszondaszondáz

kanna, skoîakannirannsakarannsókn

sonda sonda spaziale specillo esplorare indagare su

zondaszonduoti

iedziļinātiesizmeklēšanaizpēteizpētītiztaustīt

gransking sonde sondere

звездолёт зонд

sonda

araştırma araştırmak sondasondaj yapmaksoruşturma

探查探针用探针探查调查

probe

[prəʊb]

A. N

1. (Med) → sonda f

2. (= rocket) → cohete m, proyectil m (also space probe) → sonda f espacial

3. (= inquiry) → investigación f
a probe into the drug traffic → una investigación del tráfico de drogas

B. VT

1. [+ hole, crack] (with instrument, probe) → sondear; (with hands) → palpar, tantear

2. (Med) → sondar

3. (= explore) → explorar

4. (= investigate) → investigar
the policeman kept probing me → el policía siguió sondeándome
to probe a mystery → investigar un misterio

C. VI → investigar
to probe into sb's past → investigar el pasado de algn
you should have probed more deeply → deberías haber llevado a cabo una investigación más a fondo

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

probe

[ˈprəʊb]

(= enquiry) → enquête f
a probe into sth → une enquête sur qch

(= instrument) → sonde f

(also space probe) → sonde f

(= enquire into) → investiguer, enquêter sur
to be probed → être investigué(e)
to probe into sth → enquêter sur qch

[+ wound] → sonder

(= search) [+ place] → fouiller

vi [doctor, dentist] → sonder
to probe in a wound → sonder une plaie

probe

(= device) → Sonde f

(= investigation) → Untersuchung f (→ into +gen); a police probe revealed … → Nachforschungen der Polizei ergaben …

vt → untersuchen; (esp with device) → sondieren; space, sb’s past, subconscious, private life → erforschen; mystery → ergründen, erforschen

vi → suchen, forschen (for nach); (Med) → untersuchen (→ for auf +acc); (= inquire) → forschen, bohren (for nach); to probe into a wound → eine Wunde mit der Sonde untersuchen; to probe into somebody’s private life/somebody’s past → in jds Privatleben/Vergangenheit (dat) → herumschnüffeln

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

probe

[prəʊb]

1. n

a. (Med, Space) → sonda

b. (inquiry) → indagine f, investigazione f

2. vt (hole, crack) → tastare (Med) → esplorare, sondare (Space) → esplorare (also probe into) → indagare su
the policeman kept probing me → il poliziotto continuò a farmi domande

probe

(prəub) noun

1. a long thin instrument used by doctors to examine a wound etc.

2. an investigation. a police probe into illegal activities.

verb

1. to investigate. He probed into her private life.

2. to examine (as if) with a probe. The doctor probed the wound; He probed about in the hole with a stick.

probe

n. sonda, instrumento flexible que se usa para explorar cavidades o conductos y para medir la penetración de una herida;

hollow ___ → ___ acanalada.

References in classic literature ?

Or else he probes them with the cruel hand of a vivisectionist, groping about in their mental processes and examining their souls as though to see of what soul-stuff is made.

Wolf Larsen looked curiously at him, as though about to probe and vivisect him, then changed his mind, as from the foregone conclusion that there was nothing there to probe.

View in context

The surgeons swarmed around with their probes in their hands, and applied their microscopes to the whole area of M.

View in context

Weller sharply, 'probe and probe it, is wery much the same; if you don't understand wot I mean, sir, I des-say I can find them as does.'

View in context

“I believe, sir,” he said, “that a probe is not necessary; the shot has missed the bone, and has passed directly through the arm to the opposite side, where it remains but skin deep, and whence, I should think, it might he easily extracted.”

Todd, laying down the probe with the air of a man who had assumed it merely in compliance with forms; and, turning to Richard, he fingered the lint with the appearance of great care and foresight.

View in context

She pretended that she was always well now, and concealed her ailments so craftily that we had to probe for them:-

View in context

To you, with boundless wealth, there will be depths of happiness which you will never probe, joys which, if you have the wit to see them at all, will be no more than a mirage to you."

View in context

He had time in which to wonder about himself and to attempt to probe his sensa- tions.

View in context

"No, my Antonio," she breathed internally, "hover around me, shield me from impending dangers, delight me with your presence, and enchant me with your eye; but claim me in the guise of a gentleman and a hero, that no envious tongue may probe the secrets of our love, nor any profane scoffer ridicule those sensitive pleasures that he is too unsentimental to enjoy." With these, and similar thoughts, did Julia occupy herself, until Charles pointed out to her the majestic entrance to the Highlands.

View in context

He would have liked to probe into his soul so that he might see in its nakedness the dreadful dismay of the unknown which he suspected.