prove

prove

W1S2 [pru:v] v past tense proved past participle proved or proven [ˈpru:vən] especially AmE

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1¦(show something is true)¦

2¦(be)¦

3 prove yourself/prove something (to somebody)

4 prove yourself (to be) something

5 what is somebody trying to prove?

6 prove a point

7¦(bread)¦

8¦(law)¦

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[Date: 1100-1200; : Old French; Origin: prover, from Latin probare; PROBE²]

1.) ¦(SHOW SOMETHING IS TRUE)¦ [T]

to show that something is true by providing facts, information etc

→↑proof

▪ You're wrong, and I can prove it.

prove (that)

▪ Tests have proved that the system works.

prove sth to sb

▪ I knew he had done it, but there was no way I could prove it to Eddie.

prove sb's guilt/innocence

▪ He claims the police destroyed records that could prove the officer's guilt.

prove sb wrong/innocent etc

▪ They say I'm too old, but I'm going to prove them all wrong.

▪ To prove his point (=show that he was right) , he mentioned several other experiments which had produced similar results.

2.) ¦(BE)¦ [linking verb]

if someone or something proves difficult, helpful, a problem etc, they are difficult, helpful, a problem etc

▪ The recent revelations may prove embarrassing to the President.

prove to be sth

▪ The design proved to be a success.

3.) prove yourself/prove sth (to sb)

to show how good you are at doing something

▪ When I first started this job, I felt I had to prove myself.

4.) prove yourself (to be) sth

to show other people that you are a particular type of person

▪ She's proved herself to be a very reliable worker.

5.) what is sb trying to prove?

spoken said when you are annoyed by someone's actions and do not understand them

6.) prove a point

if someone does something to prove a point, they do it to show that they are right or that they can do something

▪ I'm not going to run the marathon just to prove a point.

7.) ¦(BREAD)¦

if ↑dough (=unbaked bread mixture) proves, it rises and becomes light because of the ↑yeast in it

8.) ¦(LAW)¦ [T]

[i]law to show that a ↑will has been made in the correct way

>provable adj

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HINT sense 1

You prove something to someone: I will prove to you (NOT prove you) that I'm right.

HINT

Do not use 'prove' to mean 'make something better.' Use improve: a chance to improve your English

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