Meaning of proof In English

• 0 a fact or piece of information that shows that something exists or is true:

  • [ + that ] Do they have any proof that it was Hampson who stole the goods?

  • I have a suspicion that he's having an affair, though I don't have any concrete (= definite) proof.

  • If anyone needs proof of Andrew Davies' genius as a writer, this novel is it.

  • "How old are you?" "21." "Do you have any proof on you?"

  • Keep your receipt as proof of purchase.

• 1 a printed copy of something that is examined and corrected before the final copies are printed:

  • I was busy correcting proofs.

• 2 of the stated alcoholic strength, a higher number meaning a greater amount of alcohol:

  • It says on the bottle that it's 60 percent proof.

• 3 providing protection against something:

  • No household security devices are proof against (= protect completely against) the determined burglar.

  • Her virtue would be proof against his charms.

• 4 to treat a surface with a substance that will protect it against something, especially water

• 5 protecting against, or not damaged by, a particular thing:

  • a bullet-proof vest

  • a waterproof/wind-proof jacket

  • frost-proof pots for the garden

• 6 facts or documents that can be used to show that something is true:

  • You will need to have proof of citizenship in order to get a passport.

• 7 a printed copy of written material that is examined and corrected before final copies are printed:

  • Page proofs went out yesterday to all the contributors to the book.

• 8 the calculations that show how the solution to a mathematical problem or equation was reached

• 9 a measure of the percentage of alcohol in an alcoholic drink, equal to twice the actual percentage of alcohol:

  • Liquor that is 50 proof is 25% alcohol.

• 10 a printed copy of something that is examined and corrected before the final copies are printed:

  • We still had time to correct the proofs of the brochure.