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Prove vs Proper - What's the difference?

prove | proper |

In archaic terms the difference between prove and proper

is that prove is to experience while proper is belonging to oneself or itself; own.

As a verb prove

is to demonstrate that something is true or viable; to give proof for.

As an adjective proper is

Suitable.

As an adverb proper is

properly; thoroughly; completely.

prove

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) proven, from (etyl) . More at (l), (l), (l).

Alternative forms

* proove

Verb

  • To demonstrate that something is true or viable; to give proof for.
  • {{quote-Fanny Hill, part=3 , Mr. H …, whom no distinctions of that sort seemed to disturb, scarce gave himself or me breathing time from the last encounter, but, as if he had task'd himself to prove that the appearances of his vigour were not signs hung out in vain, in a few minutes he was in a condition for renewing the onset}}
  • * {{quote-news, year=2012, date=August 5, author=Nathan Rabin
  • , title= TV: Review: THE SIMPSONS (CLASSIC): “I Love Lisa” (season 4, episode 15; originally aired 02/11/1993) , passage=Valentine’s Day means different things for different people. For Homer, it means forking over a hundred dollars for a dusty box of chocolates at the Kwik-E-Mart after characteristically forgetting the holiday yet again. For Ned, it’s another opportunity to prove his love for his wife. Most germane to the episode, for Lisa, Valentine’s Day means being the only person in her entire class to give Ralph a Valentine after noticing him looking crestfallen and alone at his desk.}}
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-07, author=(Gary Younge)
  • , volume=188, issue=26, page=18, magazine=(The Guardian Weekly) , title= Hypocrisy lies at heart of Manning prosecution , passage=WikiLeaks did not cause these uprisings but it certainly informed them. The dispatches revealed details of corruption and kleptocracy that many Tunisians suspected, but could not prove , and would cite as they took to the streets. They also exposed the blatant discrepancy between the west's professed values and actual foreign policies.}}
  • To turn out; to manifest.
  • (copulative) To turn out to be.
  • * {{quote-news, year=2012, date=May 5, author=Phil McNulty, work=BBC Sport
  • , title= Chelsea 2-1 Liverpool , passage=He met Luis Suarez's cross at the far post, only for Chelsea keeper Petr Cech to show brilliant reflexes to deflect his header on to the bar. Carroll turned away to lead Liverpool's insistent protests that the ball had crossed the line but referee Phil Dowd and assistant referee Andrew Garratt waved play on, with even a succession of replays proving inconclusive.}}
  • To put to the test, to make trial of.
  • To ascertain or establish the genuineness or validity of; to verify.
  • to prove a will
  • (archaic) To experience
  • * Spenser
  • Where she, captived long, great woes did prove .
  • (printing, dated, transitive) To take a trial impression of; to take a proof of.
  • to prove a page
    Derived terms
    * disprovability * disprovable, disprovably * disprove * disproved, disproven * exception that proves the rule * provability * provable * provably * prove out * prover * proving ground * unprovability * unprovable * unprovably * unprove * unproved * unproven

    Etymology 2

    Simple past form of proove, conjugated in the Germanic strong declension, on the pattern of choose ? chose.

    Verb

    (head)
  • (proove)
  • Statistics

    *

    proper

    English

    (wikipedia proper)

    Alternative forms

    * propre (obsolete)

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • (lb) Suitable.
  • #Suited or acceptable to the purpose or circumstances; fit, suitable.
  • #:
  • #*(Alexander Pope) (1688-1744)
  • #*:The proper study of mankind is man.
  • #*{{quote-magazine, date=2014-06-14, volume=411, issue=8891, magazine=(The Economist)
  • , title= It's a gas , passage=One of the hidden glories of Victorian engineering is proper drains. Isolating a city’s effluent and shipping it away in underground sewers has probably saved more lives than any medical procedure except vaccination.}}
  • #Following the established standards of behavior or manners; correct or decorous.
  • #:
  • #*
  • #*:This new-comer was a man who in any company would have seemed striking.Indeed, all his features were in large mold, like the man himself, as though he had come from a day when skin garments made the proper garb of men.
  • (lb) Possessed, related.
  • #(lb) Used to designate a particular person, place, or thing. Proper words are usually written with an initial capital letter.
  • #Pertaining exclusively to a specific thing or person; particular.
  • #*, II.1.3:
  • #*:They have a proper saint almost for every peculiar infirmity: for poison, gouts, agues.
  • #*(Samuel Taylor Coleridge) (1772-1834)
  • #*:those high and peculiar attributeswhich constitute our proper humanity
  • #(lb) Belonging to oneself or itself; own.
  • #*(William Shakespeare) (1564-1616)
  • #*:my proper son
  • #*(John Dryden) (1631-1700)
  • #*:Now learn the difference, at your proper cost, / Betwixt true valour and an empty boast.
  • #*, II.4.1.ii:
  • #*:every country, and more than that, every private place, hath his proper remedies growing in it, particular almost to the domineering and most frequent maladies of it.
  • #*1946 , (Bertrand Russell), (A History of Western Philosophy) , I.20:
  • #*:Each animal has its proper' pleasure, and the ' proper pleasure of man is connected with reason.
  • #(lb) Portrayed in natural or usual coloration, as opposed to conventional tinctures.
  • #
  • (lb) Accurate, strictly applied.
  • #Excellent, of high quality; such as the specific person or thing should ideally be. (Now often merged with later senses.)
  • #:
  • #
  • #*1526 , (William Tyndale), trans. Bible , (w) VII:
  • #*:The same tyme was Moses borne, and was a propper childe in the sight of God, which was norisshed up in his fathers housse thre monethes.
  • #In the very strictest sense of the word (now often as postmodifier).
  • #*, Episode 16:
  • #*:Though unusual in the Dublin area he knew that it was not by any means unknown for desperadoes who had next to nothing to live on to be abroad waylaying and generally terrorising peaceable pedestrians by placing a pistol at their head in some secluded spot outside the city proper .
  • #
  • #:
  • Synonyms

    * correct, right, apt, prudent, sensible, fitting * appropriate, decent, good, polite, right, well-mannered * appropriate, just, honorable * comprehensive, royal, sweeping, intensive * (true) full, complete * complete, right (informal), total, utter

    Antonyms

    * incorrect, wrong, bad, imprudent, insensible * inappropriate, indecent, bad, impolite, wrong, ill-mannered, unseemly * inappropriate, unjust, dishonorable * partial, incomplete, superficial, slapdash * (true) incomplete

    See also

    * proper adjective * proper fraction * proper noun

    Adverb

    (-)
  • (Scotland) properly; thoroughly; completely
  • * 1964 , Saint Andrew Society (Glasgow, Scotland), The Scots magazine: Volume 82
  • Don't you think you must have looked proper daft?
  • (nonstandard, slang) properly
  • * 2012 , (Soufside), Hello (song)
  • When I meet a bad chick, know I gotta tell her hello
    talk real proper , but she straight up out the ghetto

    Statistics

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