probe

n.

1. An exploratory action, expedition, or device, especially one designed to investigate and obtain information on a remote or unknown region.
2. A slender, flexible surgical instrument used to explore a wound or body cavity.
3. Biology. A substance, such as DNA, that is radioactively labeled or otherwise marked and used to detect or identify another substance in a sample.
4. The act of exploring or searching with or as if with a device or instrument.
5. An investigation into unfamiliar matters or questionable activities; a penetrating inquiry: a congressional probe into price fixing. See synonyms at inquiry.
6. A space probe.

v., probed, prob·ing, probes.

v.tr.

1. To explore with or as if with a probe: probe a wound; probe one's motives.
2. To delve into; investigate.

v.intr.

To conduct an exploratory investigation; search.

[Middle English, examination, from Medieval Latin proba, from Late Latin, proof, from Latin probāre, to test, from probus, good.]

prober prob'er n.
probingly prob'ing·ly adv.

A small utility program that is used to investigate, or test, the status of a system, network or Web site. Probes are mostly used for lawful purposes to determine if a device is functional. They can also be used by crackers to locate weaknesses in the system. A Web probe analyzes a Web site and reports data such as response time, security protocols supported and type of Web server. See ping.

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noun

1. The act or an instance of exploring or investigating: exploration, investigation, reconnaissance. See investigate.
2. Something, as a remark, used to determine the attitude of another: feeler. Idioms: trial balloon. See investigate.
3. A seeking of knowledge, data, or the truth about something: inquest, inquiry, inquisition, investigation, research. See investigate.

verb

1. To go into or through for the purpose of making discoveries or acquiring information: delve, dig, explore, inquire, investigate, look into, reconnoiter, scout¹. See investigate.
2. To test the attitude of: feel out, sound³ (out). Idioms: put out feelers, send up a trial balloon. See investigate.

is short for:

Meaning	Category
Personal Research On Basically Everything	Academic & Science->Universities
Pilot Radiation Observation Experiment	Academic & Science->Ocean Science
Plainly Runs Only By Exception	Miscellaneous->Funnies
Plankton Research On The Bay Environment	Governmental->NASA

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(DOD) In information operations, any attempt to gather information about an automated information system or its on-line users. See also information; information operations; information system.

IN BRIEF: To search thoroughly. Also: An instrument for examining something carefully or more closely.

If you fear making anyone mad, then you ultimately probe for the lowest common denominator of human achievement. — Jimmy Carter

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Dansk (Danish)
n. - sonde, testpind, undersøgelse
v. tr. - sondere, undersøge
v. intr. - gennembore, gennemtrænge

Nederlands (Dutch)
peilen, polsen, sonde, peiling

Français (French)
n. - enquête, (Dent, Méd, Tech) sonde, sondage
v. tr. - enquêter sur, faire des recherches, fouiner à la recherche de, (Dent) examiner (qch) avec une sonde, (Méd, Tech) sonder, tâter (une grosseur), (Aérosp) explorer (l'espace), explorer (qch) avec soin, fouiller
v. intr. - faire des recherches, rechercher, fouiner à la recherche de (péj)

Deutsch (German)
v. - erforschen, untersuchen, sondieren
n. - Sonde, Untersuchung

Ελληνική (Greek)
v. - διερευνώ, (εξ)ερευνώ επισταμένως, (ιατρ.) καθετηριάζω, ξεσκαλίζω
n. - διερεύνηση με καθετήρα ή μήλη, (ιατρ.) καθετήρας, μήλη, διερεύνηση, ξεσκάλισμα, εξονυχιστική έρευνα, ανεπάνδρωτο διαστημικό ερευνητικό σκάφος

Italiano (Italian)
sondare, sonda

Português (Portuguese)
v. - provar, examinar, testar, sondar
n. - sonda (f)

Русский (Russian)
опробовать, зондировать, зонд, проба

Español (Spanish)
n. - sonda
v. tr. - investigar, examinar, sondar, explorar, sondear
v. intr. - practicar una investigación o exploración, un sondeo o examen

Svenska (Swedish)
v. - tränga in i, utforska, sondera, nå
n. - sond, undersökning

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
探针, 探测针, 调查, 用探针测, 详细调查, 用探针探查, 探测, 查究

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 探針, 探測針, 調查
v. tr. - 用探針測, 詳細調查
v. intr. - 用探針探查, 探測, 調查, 查究

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 소식자, 탐침
v. tr. - 탐침으로 찾다
v. intr. - 면밀히 조사하다

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 探針, プローブ, 試験, 徹底的調査, 探査
v. - 探針で探る, 厳密に調べる, 突きとめる

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(فعل) يسبر, يجري تحقيقا (الاسم) مسبار, مبزل‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮מתקן בדיקה, חקירה, בדיקה, מבחן, מכשיר בדיקה‬
v. tr. - ‮בדק, בחן, חקר, חיטט‬
v. intr. - ‮בדק, בחן, חקר, חיטט‬

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probe	probe 5249
ford probe	Oregon Scientific Thgr968 Probe