See Also: proof(dictionary)
proof(encyclopedia)
proof(dictionary)
proof(2)(dictionary)
proof(1)(dictionary)
Proof(money)
Proof(law)
Proof(medicine)
BILL OF PROOF(law)
BURDEN OF PROOF(law)

proof(2) (iou)



proof noun. [pru:f] Also preve, prove. ME.
[Old French preve, proeve, prueve (mod. preuve) from late Latin proba, from Latin probare PROVE verb. Substitution of o for e by assim. to prove, of f for v from loss of final e.]
I.
(A piece of) evidence or (an) argument establishing a fact or the truth or validity of a statement; spec. in Math. & Logic, a sequence of steps by which a theorem is derived from given premises. ME.
R. Niebuhr Failure to achieve such a competence was in itself proof of a lack of virtue. A. Kenny The proofs we were offered for the existence of God all seemed to contain serious flaws.
b. Law. Orig., a person who gives evidence; a witness. Later, (a piece of) evidence determining the judgement of a tribunal; spec. (a) a document so attested as to form legal evidence; (b) the evidence given and officially recorded in a particular case. LME.
G. Burnet The proof did not carry it beyond manslaughter.
The action, process, or fact of establishing the truth or validity of a statement; demonstration. Freq. in burden of proof s.v. BURDEN noun 1. ME.
J. Tyndall All capable of experimental proof.
Scots Law. In civil cases, evidence given before (a representative of) a judge in determining what is at issue in a trial or establishing the disputed facts in a case; the taking of such evidence. Now also, trial of a civil case before a judge without a jury. E18.
II. The action or fact of having experience of something; knowledge derived from this. ME-E17.
Orig., the issue, result, effect, or fulfilment of something. Later (now dial.), the fact or condition of turning out well or producing good results; good condition or quality. ME.
G. B. Shaw Put to the proof..you behaved very sensibly.
The action or an act of testing something; a test, a trial, an experiment. LME.
b. spec. An operation to check the correctness of an arithmetical calculation. LME.
a. Tried or tested strength, esp. of armour or arms; transf. & fig. resistance, impenetrability, invulnerability. arch. LME.
b. Armour of established strength. Long obsolete exc. Hist. L16.
An attempt, an endeavour. L16-E17.
a. The testing of cannon or small firearms by firing a heavy charge or by hydraulic pressure. M17.
b. A place for testing firearms or explosives. M18.
a. A standard of strength of distilled alcoholic liquors, equivalent in Britain to 57.1 per cent of alcohol by volume (at 51F, 10.6C), and in the US to 50 per cent of alcohol by volume (at 60F, 15.6C); the relative strength (usu. measured in degrees) of any alcoholic liquor compared to this standard as 100. E18.
b. The aeration of dough by a raising agent before baking. E20.
III.
An instrument, vessel, etc., used in testing or examining something; spec. (a) a surgeon's probe; (b) a test-tube. Now rare. M16.
Printing. A trial impression of text, an illustration, etc., taken from type or film to be checked for errors and marked for correction before subsequent revision or final printing. Freq. with specifying word. E17.
galley proof, page proof, etc.
T. H. Huxley I have carefully revised the proofs of every chapter. J. Uglow The translation was finished, the proofs read.
Orig., a coin or medal struck as a test of the die. Later, any of various preliminary impressions of coins struck as specimens. M18.
Engraving. Orig., an impression taken from an engraved plate, block, etc., to examine the state of a work in progress. Now, each of a limited number of impressions from a finished block, plate, etc., before the printing of the ordinary issue and usu. (in full proof before letters) before the addition of an inscription or signature. L18.
A photographic print, esp. a trial print taken from a plate. M19.
Bookbinding. The rough uncut edges of the shorter or narrower leaves of a book, left in trimming it to show that it has not been cut down. L19.
Phrases: artist's proof: see ARTIST 3. burden of proof: see BURDEN noun 1. conjunct proof: see CONJUNCT adjective. final proof: see FINAL adjective. foul proof: see FOUL adjective. in proof at the stage in the production of a book etc. when proofs have been printed and are undergoing correction. over proof (of an alcoholic liquor) above standard strength, esp. by a specified number of degrees. progressive proofs: see PROGRESSIVE adjective. proof before letters: see sense 14 above. TOUCHED proof. under proof (of an alcoholic liquor) below standard strength, esp. by a specified number of degrees.
Comb.: proof-glass a deep cylindrical glass for holding liquids while under test; proof load Mechanics a load which a structure must be able to bear without exceeding specified limits of permanent deformation; loosely proof stress; proof-plane a small flat conductor on an insulating handle for measuring the electrification of a body; proof positive absolutely certain proof; proofread verb trans. & intrans. read (text etc.) in proof in order to find and mark errors for correction; proofreader a person who proofreads; proof-sheet, proof-slip a sheet printed from a forme of type for examination and correction before final printing; proof strain Mechanics the strain produced by the proof stress; loosely proof stress; proof strength = sense 10a above; proof stress Mechanics the stress required to produce a specified permanent deformation of a material or structure; proof-text a passage of the Bible to which appeal is made in support of an argument or position in theology; proof-theoretic adjective of or pertaining to proof theory; proof theory the branch of mathematics that deals with the syntactic (as opp. to semantic) properties of formulae and proofs in formal systems.
proofless adjective (now rare) unsupported by proof or evidence, unfounded E17.