<B>probe, </B>verb, <B>probed,</B> <B>probing,</B> noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>v.t. </I> <B>1. </B>to search into; examine thoroughly; investigate. <BR> <I>Ex. to probe a person's thoughts or feelings to find out why he acted as he did. Man in his unquenchable thirst for oil has probed ever deeper into the desert wastes of the Middle East (Newsweek).</I> (SYN) scrutinize. <DD><B> 2. </B>to examine with a probe. <DD><B> 3. </B>(Military.) to test the strength or defenses of (the enemy), as by a raid. <BR> <I>Ex. An enemy unit of undetermined strength briefly probed a central sector position (New York Times).</I> <DD><I>v.i. </I> to search; penetrate. <BR> <I>Ex. to probe into the causes of crime. We searched our minds in long discussions late each night and didn't spare each other as we probed for answers (Norman Cousins).</I> <DD><I>noun </I> <B>1. </B>a thorough examination; investigation. <BR> <I>Ex. a probe into juvenile delinquency.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>an investigation, usually by a lawmaking body or a committee of its members in an effort to discover evidences of law violation. <BR> <I>Ex. An energetic, youthful trustbuster will guide the Senate probe (Wall Street Journal).</I> <DD><B> 3. </B>a slender instrument for exploring something. A doctor or dentist uses a probe to explore the depth or direction of a wound or a cavity in the body. A Geiger counter uses a probe to detect the amount of radiation in radioactive matter, such as rocks. <DD><B> 4. </B>a rocket, satellite or other unmanned spacecraft carrying scientific instruments, to record or report back information about space, other planets, or other objects in outer space. <BR> <I>Ex. Probes ... pass in the vicinity of either Venus or Mars ... now well within the reach of rocket technology (Harper's).</I> <DD><B> 5. </B>the launching of such a spacecraft. <DD><B> 6. </B>(Military.) a testing of the strength or defenses of the enemy. <BR> <I>Ex. Light enemy probes and scattered patrol contacts have been reported (New York Times).</I> <DD><B> 7. </B>a pipelike device on an airplane used in probe-and-drogue refueling. noun <B>prober.</B> adv. <B>probingly.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="probeanddrogue">
<B>probe-and-drogue, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a method of refueling planes in flight. The plane to be refueled inserts a pipelike probe into the funnel-shaped drogue that hangs on the end of a long flexible hose from a tanker plane. </DL>
<A NAME="probenecid">
<B>probenecid, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a drug stimulating the excretion of uric acid, used in treating gouty arthritis and other conditions. </DL>
<A NAME="probity">
<B>probity, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> high principle; uprightness; honesty. <BR> <I>Ex. a man of unquestioned probity.</I> (SYN) integrity, rectitude. </DL>
<A NAME="problem">
<B>problem, </B>noun, adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>noun </I> <B>1. </B>a question, especially a difficult question. <BR> <I>Ex. How to do away with poverty is a problem that concerns the government. In biology there is still the problem of the basic chemistry of life (Atlantic).</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>a matter of doubt or difficulty. <BR> <I>Ex. The president of a large company has to deal with many problems. This important constitutional problem [must not] remain clouded in doubt (Newsweek).</I> <DD><B> 3. </B>something to be worked out. <BR> <I>Ex. a problem in arithmetic.</I> <DD><I>adj. </I> <B>1. </B>that causes difficulty. <BR> <I>Ex. a problem child.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>having a plot based on a problem, especially a problem of social conduct, relationship, or responsibility. <BR> <I>Ex. a problem novel.</I> </DL>
<A NAME="problematic">
<B>problematic, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> having the nature of a problem; doubtful; uncertain; questionable. <BR> <I>Ex. What the weather will be is often problematic.</I> (SYN) dubious, disputable. adv. <B>problematically.</B> </DL>
<B>problemist, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a person who makes up or solves problems, as in chess or mathematics. </DL>
<A NAME="probono">
<B>pro bono,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> done or provided free of charge for the public welfare. </DL>
<A NAME="probonopublico">
<B>pro bono publico,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> (Latin.) for the public welfare. </DL>
<A NAME="proboscidean">
<B>proboscidean</B> or <B>proboscidian, </B>adjective, noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>adj. </I> <B>1. </B>belonging to or having to do with the order consisting of the elephants, and similar animals now extinct. <DD><B> 2a. </B>having a proboscis. <DD><B> b. </B>having to do with or like a proboscis. <DD><I>noun </I> an elephant, mammoth, or the like. </DL>
<A NAME="proboscis">
<B>proboscis, </B>noun, pl. <B>-boscises,</B> <B>-boscides.</B><DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>an elephant's trunk. <DD><B> 2. </B>a long, flexible snout, such as that of the tapir or certain monkeys. <DD><B> 3. </B>the tubelike mouthparts of some insects developed to great length for piercing or sucking. <BR> <I>Ex. the proboscis of a fly or a mosquito.</I> <DD><B> 4. </B>any similar organ, such as: <DD><B> a. </B>an organ of many worms, such as annelids and nemerteans, usually eversible and opening above the mouth. <DD><B> b. </B>the tongue of certain gastropods. <DD><B> 5. </B>(Humorous.) a person's nose. </DL>
<A NAME="proboscismonkey">
<B>proboscis monkey,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a large, long-tailed monkey of Borneo, having a long nose. </DL>
<B>procaine, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a drug used as a local anesthetic, similar to, but much less toxic than, cocaine; novocaine. </DL>
<A NAME="procaineamide">
<B>procaine amide,</B><DL COMPACT><DD> a compound related to procaine used in the treatment of arrhythmia. </DL>
<A NAME="procambial">
<B>procambial, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> of the procambium. </DL>
<A NAME="procambium">
<B>procambium, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> (Botany.) any undifferentiated tissue from which the vascular bundles are developed. </DL>
<A NAME="procarp">
<B>procarp, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> the female sex organ of certain algae and fungi. </DL>
<A NAME="procaryote">
<B>procaryote, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a cell or organism without a visible nucleus or nuclei. <BR> <I>Ex. Procaryotes were found in the Beck Spring Dolomite in association with the primitive eucaryotes (Scientific American).</I> <DL COMPACT><DD> Also, <B>prokaryote.</B> </DL>
</DL>
<A NAME="procaryotic">
<B>procaryotic, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> not having a visible nucleus or nuclei. <BR> <I>Ex. Procaryotic cells, which lack a nucleus and divide by simple fission, were a more primitive form of life than the eucaryotes and persist today in the bacteria and blue-green algae (Scientific American).</I> <DL COMPACT><DD> Also, <B>prokaryotic.</B> </DL>
</DL>
<A NAME="procathedral">
<B>procathedral, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> a church used temporarily as a cathedral. </DL>
<A NAME="procedendo">
<B>procedendo, </B>noun, pl. <B>-dos.</B><DL COMPACT><DD> (Law.) a writ of a superior court commanding a subordinate court to proceed to judgment. </DL>
<A NAME="procedural">
<B>procedural, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> of or having to do with procedure. <BR> <I>Ex. The recommendations the Commission made ... were purely procedural ones (New Yorker).</I> adv. <B>procedurally.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="procedure">
<B>procedure, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><B> 1. </B>a way of proceeding; method of doing things. <BR> <I>Ex. What is your procedure in making bread?</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>the customary manners or ways of conducting some business. <BR> <I>Ex. parliamentary procedure, legal procedure.</I> <DD><B> 3. </B>(Obsolete.) the going on of an action; progress; course. </DL>
<A NAME="proceed">
<B>proceed, </B>verb, noun.<DL COMPACT><DD><I>v.i. </I> <B>1. </B>to go on after having stopped; move forward. <BR> <I>Ex. Please proceed with your story. The train proceeded at the same speed as before.</I> (SYN) continue, progress. <DD><B> 2. </B>to be carried on; take place. <BR> <I>Ex. The trial may proceed.</I> <DD><B> 3. </B>to carry on any activity. <BR> <I>Ex. He proceeded to light his pipe.</I> <DD><B> 4. </B>(Figurative.) to come forth; issue; go out. <BR> <I>Ex. Heat proceeds from fire.</I> (SYN) emanate. <DD><B> 5. </B>to advance to a higher status. <BR> <I>Ex. to proceed to master of arts.</I> <DD><B> 6. </B>to begin and carry on an action at law. <BR> <I>Ex. Though rebellion is declared, it is not proceeded against as such (Edmund Burke).</I> <DD><I>noun </I> <B>proceeds,</B> <DD><B> 1. </B>money obtained from a sale or some other activity or transaction. <BR> <I>Ex. The proceeds from the school play will be used to buy a new curtain for the stage.</I> <DD><B> 2. </B>the amount remaining after a discount or changes have been deducted from the face value of a promissory note, an insurance policy, or the like. noun <B>proceeder.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="proceeding">
<B>proceeding, </B>noun.<DL COMPACT><DD> what is done; action; conduct; performance. <BR> <I>Ex. He wrote a memorandum, pointing out the unconstitutional nature of Lord Melbourne's proceedings (Lytton Strachey).</I> (SYN) dealing, doing. (Abbr:) proc. <BR><I>expr. <B>proceedings,</B> <DD><B> a. </B>the action in a case in a law court. </I> <I>Ex. Having already as much law proceedings on his hands as he could manage ... (James H. Monk).</I> <DD><B> b. </B>a record of what was done at the meetings of a society or club; minutes. <BR> <I>Ex. Proceedings of the Philological Society (a title).</I> </DL>
<A NAME="proceeds">
<B>proceeds, </B>noun pl.<DL COMPACT><DD> See under <B>proceed.</B> </DL>
<A NAME="procellarian">
<B>procellarian, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> of or having to do with a group of sea birds that includes the petrels and related birds. </DL>
<A NAME="procephalic">
<B>procephalic, </B>adjective.<DL COMPACT><DD> having to do with or forming the forepart of the head. <BR> <I>Ex. procephalic processes, the procephalic lobe.</I> </DL>
