PROBE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does probe mean? 

• PROBE (noun)
  The noun PROBE has 4 senses:

1. an inquiry into unfamiliar or questionable activities

2. a flexible slender surgical instrument with a blunt end that is used to explore wounds or body cavities

3. an exploratory action or expedition

4. an investigation conducted using a flexible surgical instrument to explore an injury or a body cavity

  Familiarity information: PROBE used as a noun is uncommon.

• PROBE (verb)
  The verb PROBE has 2 senses:

1. question or examine thoroughly and closely

2. examine physically with or as if with a probe

  Familiarity information: PROBE used as a verb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• PROBE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

An inquiry into unfamiliar or questionable activities

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Synonyms:

investigation; probe

Context example:

there was a congressional probe into the scandal

Hypernyms ("probe" is a kind of...):

enquiry; inquiry; research (a search for knowledge)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "probe"):

fishing expedition (an investigation undertaken in the hope (but not the stated purpose) of discovering information)

Derivation:

probe (question or examine thoroughly and closely)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A flexible slender surgical instrument with a blunt end that is used to explore wounds or body cavities

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("probe" is a kind of...):

surgical instrument (a medical instrument used in surgery)

Derivation:

probe (examine physically with or as if with a probe)

Sense 3

Meaning:

An exploratory action or expedition

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("probe" is a kind of...):

exploration (a careful systematic search)

Sense 4

Meaning:

An investigation conducted using a flexible surgical instrument to explore an injury or a body cavity

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("probe" is a kind of...):

research (systematic investigation to establish facts)

Derivation:

probe (examine physically with or as if with a probe)

• PROBE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they probe    ... he / she / it probes   
Past simple: probed   
Past participle: probed   
-ing form: probing   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Question or examine thoroughly and closely

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

examine; probe

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

investigate; look into (investigate scientifically)

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

enquire; inquire; investigate (conduct an inquiry or investigation of)

re-examine (question after cross-examination by opposing counsel)

hear; try (examine or hear (evidence or a case) by judicial process)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s PP

Sentence examples:

The men probe the area for animals
The men probe for animals in the area

Derivation:

probe (an inquiry into unfamiliar or questionable activities)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Examine physically with or as if with a probe

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

dig into; poke into; probe

Context example:

probe an anthill

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

penetrate; perforate (pass into or through, often by overcoming resistance)

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

gutter (wear or cut gutters into)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

probe (an investigation conducted using a flexible surgical instrument to explore an injury or a body cavity)

probe (a flexible slender surgical instrument with a blunt end that is used to explore wounds or body cavities)

 Context examples 

The team plans to next probe whether non-classical MHC molecules recognize friendly microbes on the skin of other mammals, including humans, and similarly benefit tissue repair.

(Scientists find microbes on the skin of mice promote tissue healing, immunity, National Institutes of Health)

The probe, built by the German Aerospace Center (DLR), will provide crucial data on how much heat escapes the planet and where liquid water could exist near its surface.

(Possible Subsurface Lake near Martian South Pole, NASA)

A technique utilizing a scanning probe to image and analyze the surface of a material with atomic-level resolution.

(Atomic Force Microscopy, NCI Thesaurus)

It was an aching probe to his tired sensitiveness.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

NASA's Voyager 2 probe, currently on a journey toward interstellar space, has detected an increase in cosmic rays that originate outside our solar system.

(NASA Voyager 2 Could Be Nearing Interstellar Space, NASA)

An ultrasound transducer (probe) is pressed firmly against the skin of the abdomen.

(Abdominal ultrasound, NCI Dictionary)

No, no, my girl, the matter must be probed to the bottom.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

I shall enter that cottage, and I shall probe the matter to the bottom.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

JIRAM probes the weather layer down to 30 to 45 miles (50 to 70 kilometers) below Jupiter’s cloud tops.

(Jupiter’s Jet-Streams Are Unearthly, NASA)

I have no doubt, indeed, that she probed the Doctor's wound without knowing it.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)