Webster's English Dictionary

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prove

prove \'pru:v\ \'pru:-v*n, Brit also 'pro--\ \'pru:-vin\ vb or proved;  or 
   proved;  or prov.en or prov.ing [ME proven, fr. OF prover, fr. L probare to 
   test, approve, pr]ove, fr. probus good, honest, fr. pro- for, in favor + 
   -bus (akin to OE be-on to be) archaic  1: EXPERIENCE  2: to try or 
   ascertain by an experiment or a standard; esp : to su bject to a technical 
   testing process 3a: to establish the truth or validity of by evidence or 
   demonstration  3b: to check the correctness of (as an arithmetic operation) 
    4a: to ascertain the genuineness of : VERIFY; specif : to  obtain probate 
   of (a will) 4b: PROOF  : to turn out esp. after trial or test