probe
(prōb)
[Middle English, examination, from Medieval Latin proba, from Late Latin, proof, from Latin probāre, to test, from probus, good.]
noun
- An exploratory action, expedition, or device, especially one designed to investigate and obtain information on a remote or unknown region.
- A slender, flexible surgical instrument used to explore a wound or body cavity.
- Biology A substance, such as DNA, that is radioactively labeled or otherwise marked and used to detect or identify another substance in a sample.
- The act of exploring or searching with or as if with a device or instrument.
- An investigation into unfamiliar matters or questionable activities; a penetrating inquiry: a congressional probe into price fixing. See synonyms at inquiry
- A space probe.
verb: probed, prob·ing, probes.
transitive verb
- To explore with or as if with a probe: probe a wound; probe one's motives.
- To delve into; investigate.
intransitive verb
- To conduct an exploratory investigation; search.
derivatives
- prob́er
- noun
- prob́ing·ly
- adverb
