PROVE (proven)

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

Irregular inflected form: proven   

 Dictionary entry overview: What does prove mean? 

• PROVE (verb)
  The verb PROVE has 9 senses:

1. be shown or be found to be

2. establish the validity of something, as by an example, explanation or experiment

3. provide evidence for

4. prove formally; demonstrate by a mathematical, formal proof

5. put to the test, as for its quality, or give experimental use to

6. increase in volume

7. cause to puff up with a leaven

8. take a trial impression of

9. obtain probate of

  Familiarity information: PROVE used as a verb is familiar.

 Dictionary entry details 

• PROVE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they prove    ... he / she / it proves   
Past simple: proved   
Past participle: proved    / proven   
-ing form: proving   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Be shown or be found to be

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Synonyms:

prove; turn out; turn up

Context example:

She turned up HIV positive

Hypernyms (to "prove" is one way to...):

be (have the quality of being; (copula, used with an adjective or a predicate noun))

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "prove"):

ensue; result (issue or terminate (in a specified way, state, etc.); end)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s Adjective/Noun
Somebody ----s Adjective
Somebody ----s to INFINITIVE
It ----s that CLAUSE

Sense 2

Meaning:

Establish the validity of something, as by an example, explanation or experiment

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Synonyms:

demonstrate; establish; prove; shew; show

Context example:

The mathematician showed the validity of the conjecture

Hypernyms (to "prove" is one way to...):

affirm; confirm; corroborate; substantiate; support; sustain (establish or strengthen as with new evidence or facts)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "prove"):

prove oneself (show one's ability or courage)

prove (prove formally; demonstrate by a mathematical, formal proof)

contradict; negate (prove negative; show to be false)

stultify (prove to be of unsound mind or demonstrate someone's incompetence)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE

Antonym:

disprove (prove to be false)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Provide evidence for

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

bear witness; evidence; prove; show; testify

Context example:

Her behavior testified to her incompetence

Hypernyms (to "prove" is one way to...):

inform (impart knowledge of some fact, state of affairs, or event to)

Domain category:

jurisprudence; law (the collection of rules imposed by authority)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "prove"):

attest; certify; demonstrate; evidence; manifest (provide evidence for; stand as proof of; show by one's behavior, attitude, or external attributes)

presume (constitute reasonable evidence for)

abduce; adduce; cite (advance evidence for)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE

Sentence example:

They prove that there was a traffic accident

Sense 4

Meaning:

Prove formally; demonstrate by a mathematical, formal proof

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Hypernyms (to "prove" is one way to...):

demonstrate; establish; prove; shew; show (establish the validity of something, as by an example, explanation or experiment)

Domain category:

math; mathematics; maths (a science (or group of related sciences) dealing with the logic of quantity and shape and arrangement)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 5

Meaning:

Put to the test, as for its quality, or give experimental use to

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

essay; examine; prove; test; try; try out

Context example:

Test this recipe

Hypernyms (to "prove" is one way to...):

evaluate; judge; pass judgment (form a critical opinion of)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "prove"):

control; verify (check or regulate (a scientific experiment) by conducting a parallel experiment or comparing with another standard)

float (circulate or discuss tentatively; test the waters with)

field-test (test something under the conditions under which it will actually be used)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 6

Meaning:

Increase in volume

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

prove; rise

Context example:

the dough rose slowly in the warm room

Hypernyms (to "prove" is one way to...):

grow (become larger, greater, or bigger; expand or gain)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Sense 7

Meaning:

Cause to puff up with a leaven

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

leaven; prove; raise

Context example:

unleavened bread

Hypernyms (to "prove" is one way to...):

bring up; elevate; get up; lift; raise (raise from a lower to a higher position)

Cause:

prove; rise (increase in volume)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something

Sentence example:

They prove more bread

Sense 8

Meaning:

Take a trial impression of

Classified under:

Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing

Hypernyms (to "prove" is one way to...):

impress; print (reproduce by printing)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 9

Meaning:

Obtain probate of

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Context example:

prove a will

Hypernyms (to "prove" is one way to...):

authenticate (establish the authenticity of something)

Domain category:

jurisprudence; law (the collection of rules imposed by authority)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

 Context examples 

In figure he was spare, but very strongly built—indeed, he had often proved that there were few men in England capable of such sustained exertions.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

"If you have," continued the Tin Woodman, "you ought to be glad, for it proves you have a heart. For my part, I have no heart; so I cannot have heart disease."

(The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum)

There is ever some cursed sheepskin in their strong boxes to prove that the rich man should be richer and the poor man poorer.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

He proved, however, to be too late.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

I must first, however, prove whether all you have told me about your three things is true.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

It was not pleasant, but a better spirit had come over her, and presently a chance offered for proving it.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

'See! see! I prove; I prove.'

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

You are ready, and this year, you will prove it.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

I only wanted to prove to you that Mrs. S. admits our apology, and is not offended.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

Both an initial re-exposure to the shock and the subsequent timing of extinction training proved critical.

(How Our Memory Works, NIH, US)