Prove Proved People Proves Show Pruːv I Point

• they hope this new evidence will prove her innocence.
• ‘i know you're lying.’ ‘prove it!’
• he felt he needed to prove his point (= show other people that he was right).
• are you just doing this to prove a point?

prove

Word Family

• prove verb (≠ disprove)
• proof noun
• proven adjective (≠ unproven)

Verb Forms

1. to use facts, evidence, etc. to show that something is true
• OPPOSITE disprove
  https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/disprove
• They hope this new evidence will prove her innocence.
• ‘I know you're lying.’ ‘Prove it!’
• He felt he needed to prove his point (= show other people that he was right).
• Are you just doing this to prove a point?
• What are you trying to prove?
• I certainly don't have anything to prove—my record speaks for itself.
• The prosecution has failed to prove its case.
• She continued to prove her worth to the team.
• Just give me a chance and I'll prove it to you.
• This proves (that) I was right.
• She was determined to prove everyone wrong.
• In this country, you are innocent until proved guilty.
• You've just proved yourself to be a liar.
• This just proves what I have been saying for some time.
• Can it be proved that he did commit these offences?

Extra Examples

• He tried to prove his theory to his friends.
• The deaths are being treated as suspicious until we can prove otherwise.
• This theory cannot be proved scientifically.
• The prosecution must prove guilt beyond reasonable doubt.
• I'm delighted he proved so many people wrong.
2. if something proves dangerous, expensive, etc. or if it proves to be dangerous, etc., you discover that it is dangerous, etc. over a period of time
• SYNONYM turn out (1)
  https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/turn-out#turn_sng_137
• The strategy has proved successful.
• The new system has proved popular with our clients.
• It was proving extremely difficult to establish the truth.
• I have some information that may prove useful.
• The opposition proved too strong for him.
• The play proved a great success.
• Shares in the industry proved a poor investment.
• His lack of experience may prove a problem in a crisis.
• The promotion proved to be a turning point in his career.
• Their fears proved to be groundless.
3. to show other people how good you are at doing something or that you are capable of doing something
• He constantly feels he has to prove himself to others.
• She wants a chance to prove herself.
4. to show other people that you are a particular type of person or that you have a particular quality
• He proved himself determined to succeed.
• She proved herself to be a skilful negotiator.
5. to swell (= become larger or rounder) before being baked because of the action of yeast
• SYNONYM rise
  https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/rise_1
6. people say that something is the exception that proves the rule when they are stating something that seems to be different from the normal situation, but they mean that the normal situation remains true in general
• Most electronics companies have not done well this year, but ours is the exception that proves the rule.

Word Origin

• Middle English: from Old French prover, from Latin probare ‘test, approve, demonstrate’, from probus ‘good’.