probe
Pronunciation: (prōb), [key]
— v., n. probed, prob•ing,
—v.t.
- to search into or examine thoroughly; question closely: to probe one's conscience.
- to examine or explore with a probe.
—v.i.
- to examine or explore with or as if with a probe.
—n.
- the act of probing.
- a slender surgical instrument for exploring the depth or direction of a wound, sinus, or the like.
- an investigation, esp. by a legislative committee, of suspected illegal activity.
- See
- a projecting, pipelike device on a receiving aircraft used to make connection with and receive fuel from a tanker aircraft during refueling in flight.
- a device, attached by cord to an oven, that can be inserted into roasts or other food so that the oven shuts off when the desired internal temperature of the food is reached.
- any identifiable substance that is used to detect, isolate, or identify another substance, as a labeled strand of DNA that hybridizes with its complementary RNA or a monoclonal antibody that combines with a specific protein.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.