Definition of probe
1 : a slender medical instrument used especially for exploration (as of a wound or body cavity)
2a : any of various testing devices or substances: such 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 (such as an ultrasound generator) or a substance (such as radioactively labeled DNA) used to obtain specific information for diagnostic or experimental purposesb : a pipe on the receiving airplane thrust into the drogue of the delivering airplane in air refueling
3a : the action of probingb : a penetrating or critical investigationc : a tentative exploratory advance or survey
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Examples of probe in a sentence
The FBI probe did not produce any new evidence.
a congressional probe into the accusations
Origin and Etymology of probe
Medieval Latin proba examination, from Latin probare
First Known Use: 1580
probe
Definition of probe
probed
;probing
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
prober
nounExamples of probe in a sentence
His questions made it clear he was probing for information.
He didn't like the police probing into his past.
He didn't like the police probing him about his past.
The doctor probed the wound with his finger.
Searchers probed the mud with long poles.
She probed the files for evidence that would help the investigation.
Circa 1543
First Known Use of probe
circa 1543
Synonym Discussion of probe
PROBE Defined for English Language Learners
Definition of probe for English Language Learners
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: a careful examination or investigation of something
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: a thin, long instrument that is used especially for examining parts of the body
probe
Definition of probe for English Language Learners
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: to ask a lot of questions in order to find secret or hidden information about someone or something
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: to touch or reach into (something) by using your finger, a long tool, etc., in order to see or find something
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: to look into or examine (something) carefully
PROBE Defined for Kids
Definition of probe for Students
1 : a slender instrument for examining a cavity (as a deep wound)
2 : a careful investigation
Definition of probe for Students
probed
;probing
1 : to examine with or as if with an instrument
2 : to investigate thoroughly
Medical Dictionary
Medical Definition of probe
1: a surgical instrument that consists typically of a light slender fairly flexible pointed metal instrument like a small rod that is used typically for locating a foreign body (as a bullet embedded in a part of the body), for exploring a wound or suppurative tract by prodding or piercing, or for penetrating and exploring bodily passages and cavities
2: a device (as an ultrasound generator) or a substance (as radioactively labeled DNA) used to obtain specific information (as detection of a virus or location of specific segments of a nucleic acid) for diagnostic or experimental purposes the radioactive probe revealed the distribution of molecules in the membrane
probe
Medical Definition of probe
probed
;probing
transitive verb
: to examine with or as if with a probe probe a woundintransitive verb
: to search by using a probe probe for a bullet
Learn More about probe
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See words that rhyme with probe Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for probe Spanish Central: Translation of probe Nglish: Translation of probe for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of probe for Arabic speakers
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