1A blunt-ended surgical instrument used for exploring a wound or part of the body.

1. 1.1 A small device, especially an electrode, used for measuring, testing, or obtaining information.
   Example sentencesExamples

   • Specially designed probes detect the electric field strength inside the head.
   • Schlumberger already makes electron beam probes but these rely on access to the on-chip metal lines to pick up signals.
   • Soil water content at the various depths were measured by a neutron probe and extraction was calculated by water balance.
   • A test probe head has a plurality of electrically conducting wire members held in place in a frame by movable plates.
   • The tightly focused light produces an intense electromagnetic field that could be used as a probe or to manipulate atoms or other tiny objects.
   • The electric and magnetic fields the probe measured built up a more detailed picture of the magnetopause, including the flow of electrons in the diffusion region.
   • To measure leaf reflectance, the leaf was sandwiched between the nonreflecting, polyurethane black body and the light probe.
   • To test a spark plug, I put the ohmmeter probes on the center electrode and the wire terminal.
   • The introduction of the electron probe and the ability to date individual grains has increased the chances of identifying source rocks of sediments.
   • The resulting steady-state pressures were measured using a pressure probe as a manometer.
   • One of the best ways to capture these images is to use tomography, which allows us to see the inside of an object without inserting probes or sensors.
   • The redox probe could reach the electrode along the channel formed by AmB, easily corresponding to the electrochemical response obtained.
   • The formation of reactive oxygen intermediates was monitored with a fluorescence probe allowing continuous measurements.
   • For an observer to acquire both donor and acceptor fluorescence for this dual-image ratiometric measurement, the fluorescent probes must exhibit spectral overlap.
   • One of the first practical uses of alpha radiation was as a nuclear probe.
   • Electrons at the probe tip are excited and interact with the vibrational atoms of the sample to produce a spectrum identifying the chemical composition of the material.
   • The sensing of oxygen with phosphorescent probes is based on luminescence quenching.
   • The gaps responsible for the abnormal results had apparently resealed suggesting that it is worthwhile to persist with sensor probes that generate abnormal measurements initially.
   • The GeneChip Drosophila genome array was hybridized with the test or control probes in parallel experiments.
2. 1.2 A projecting device for engaging in a drogue, either on an aircraft for use in inflight refueling or on a spacecraft for use in docking with another craft.
   Example sentencesExamples

   • At least ten are slated to receive in-flight refueling probes to further increase their range.
   • The helicopter is fitted with a forward extendable in-flight refuelling probe and it can also hoist hose refuel from a surface ship whilst in hover mode.
   • For increased range the aircraft is equipped with an in-flight refuelling probe and receptacle.
   • Once the aircraft probe engages the basket, the pod is supposed to take up any slack in the refueling hose, keeping the hose taught between the two aircraft.
   • Modifications to the aircraft structure have been incorporated to allow the installation of a fixed detachable probe for in-flight refuelling.
   • The aircraft can be equipped with an optional probe for probe and drogue refuelling, so the range can be extended by in-flight refuelling.
   • The air-to-air refuelling probe is retracted into the aircraft to retain the aerodynamic profile.
   • The aircraft has a flying boom receptacle and a fixed probe providing dual in-flight refuelling capability
   • He joined an Australian crew to view an air-to-air refuelling mission from the other side of the fuel probe.
   • The aircraft can be fitted with an in-flight refuelling probe.
   • Ultrasound devices should be examined as a replacement for fuel probes.
   • The air refueling system consists of a probe and drogue airborne refueling system.
   • In the inoperative position, the refuelling probe is retracted into the nose of the fuselage in front of the pilot's cabin.
   • The 767 aircraft can be modified to accommodate refuelling wingpods and a centreline hose for probe and drogue refuelling.
   • The range and endurance time are also extended by in-flight refuelling, using a probe and drogue inflight refuelling system.
   • The aircraft is equipped with an in-flight refuelling probe mounted above and behind the flight deck.
   • An illuminated in-flight refueling probe is installed in the top center line of the fuselage.
   • He tanked in the dirty configuration by extending the inflight refueling probe, using the emergency method.
   • These are capable of refuelling Navy and NATO aircraft, which use a probe and drogue system instead of a boom and receptacle.
3. 1.3 An unmanned exploratory spacecraft designed to transmit information about its environment.
   Example sentencesExamples

   • The Bangalore based Indian Space Research Organisation announced last month that it is pressing ahead with plans to send an unmanned space probe to the moon within the next five years.
   • Sensor probes detected activity on the Utopian space station and the domed settlement on the moon, all left defenseless as the last of the armed ships attempted to escape.
   • In 2004 a probe from the Cassini spacecraft will be dropped into Titan's chilly clouds for the first close-up glimpse of this oddball moon.
   • One way is to travel to the planets, either with remotely operated probes or with manned spacecraft.
   • I sent in multiple probes to test for oxygen, plant and animal life, and anything that might be harmful.
   • Nasa directs the unmanned space probe Galileo to plunge into the atmosphere of the planet Jupiter, destroying the craft after a 14-year space mission.
   • The probe was set to lift off this afternoon from Cape Canaveral, Florida, aboard an Atlas V launch vehicle.
   • From this control center, ESA engineers will be tracking the probe and scientists will be standing by to process the data from the probe's six instruments.
   • Possible applications are envisaged as a means to return equipment and experiments from the International Space Station, or to accommodate probes on spacecraft to Mars.
   • Satellites, robotic probes, or instrument packages can act as payloads.
   • Information from the Galileo space probe about Jupiter's atmosphere has left theorists baffled.
   • For a space probe like the Mars Pathfinder mission, it was even worse.
   • The launch of a space probe today on a quest to make the first ever landing on a comet will be eagerly watched by the Chippenham team responsible for designing the project's software.
   • Twenty days after being jettisoned by its mother ship, the Huygens space probe plunged through the hazy atmosphere of Titan early Friday morning and landed on the Saturn moon.
   • However, the production of radioactive waste would pose a problem for sending manned missions on nuclear spacecraft rather than robotic probes.
   • The tiny probe is carrying six instruments to help it analyse the atmospheric make-up, take pictures and test surface samples.
   • Owen points to a spike in the amount of methane detected by the instruments, after the probe had landed.
   • The effects of Callisto's gravity will set up the space probe for a swing over both polar regions of the intensely volcanic moon Io in August and October.
   • Their recent and most spectacular success was the landing of the Huygens space probe on Saturn's largest moon Titan, sending back pictures of far more interesting landscape than the scientists had expected.
   • At a height of about 160 km the probe's scientific instruments were exposed to Titan's atmosphere.
4. 1.4 An investigation into a crime or other matter.
   a probe into the maritime industry by the FBI

   Example sentencesExamples

   • That's not to say they haven't done the occasional probe into human rights issues or corruption for that matter, but these have been few and far between and that's an unfortunate fact.
   • Reportedly an inquiry is under way by the Chairman of school and senior officers are likely to arrive for further probe into the matter.
   • Against this background, the prosecution ought to conduct a thorough probe into the incident in which its four members were also involved.
   • Muslim leaders have demanded a thorough probe into the Godhra incidents and the Gujarat riots.
   • The arrests followed Operation Norfolk, a probe into drug trafficking conducted by the National Crime Squad.
   • The apex court reportedly acted on the petition which sought a CBI [Central Bureau of Investigation] probe into the killings.
   • The investigation is the latest probe into alleged irregularities in the ambulance service during 2000 and 2001.
   • The Amnesty report said ‘many’ cases have not been investigated and called for a civilian-led probe into all killings by British forces, with findings made public.
   • The Vigilance Department has now decided to launch a detailed probe into the matter.
   • As part of efforts to find those involved in the crime, the governor ordered a full-swing probe into civil servants who had allegedly used their academic documents to seek promotion.
   • A federal probe into the matter has been going on since October.
   • The PC, who has 13 years' service, was suspended with pay pending a probe into the matter, before Paul gave orders to charge him.
   • It is deplorable that the ruling camp is meddling in the special investigation team's probe into the $500 million secret payment to North Korea.
   • He says he has not discussed the issue of protecting any company or individual from the Joint Investigating Team's probe into the arms deal with anyone.
   • An Indonesian investigative mission has completed a probe into the September 1999 killing of a Dutch journalist in East Timor, the mission chief said Friday.
   • He claimed South African mercenaries were training rebels in Kindu to use the smuggled weapons, and demanded an international probe into the matter.
   • Fire investigators were expected to launch a probe into the cause of the blaze later today.
   • One issue surrounded perception of how BNP allegations were being investigated compared with Operation Wheel, the probe into the riots of 2001.
   • A probe into how the New College students came to study the wrong curriculum is expected to conclude next week.
   • He is the first GMP officer to be charged in an investigation triggered by a massive probe into Internet porn based in the United States.

   Synonyms

   investigation, enquiry, examination, scrutiny, inquest, exploration, study, research, analysis, scrutinization

1Physically explore or examine (something) with the hands or an instrument.

1. 1.1no object Seek to uncover information about someone or something.
   with object police are probing another murder

   he began to probe into Donald's whereabouts

   Example sentencesExamples

   • In this context, I support the hard effort that the House special committee has been making to probe into a number of cases.
   • Police are also probing whether icy roads contributed to a crash in which a man died.
   • He is not going to be allowed to probe into her life.
   • They argued that the police probe into the suicide of the suspect, a former diving expert and wrestler without any criminal record, was not convincing.
   • I was tempted to ask him where he had been but what right did I have to probe into his life?
   • The special examiner then probed the legitimacy of William's first marriage to Marion.
   • In that effort her approach was weighty and dark, probing and technically assured.
   • I could feel his mind trying to probe into my thoughts, to see what I was thinking.
   • Moreover, the party has formed a special task force to probe the matter.
   • The book probes the limits of forensic osteology and examines both successes and failures.
   • A nursing home is at the centre of a police and social services probe into the death of a former resident.
   • But at some point, I'm going to have to probe into your personal life so that I can make an effective assessment.
   • The three men, who have not been named, were arrested and bailed as part of a police probe into proxy voting at last year's local elections.
   • The Special Investigations Unit, which probes all police shootings in Ontario, was tight-lipped about the tape.
   • These three findings have affected me as a researcher by pressing me to probe into social behavior.
   • It probed crime and business for the government and now has about 400 representative offices around the world.
   • As substantive policy issues become more difficult to explore, journalists are more likely to probe such information.
   • His eyes seemed to probe into her soul, finding stones and overturning them to find secrets she had been hiding for a long, long time.
   • But the court is not retroactive and cannot probe crimes committed before July 1.
   • The huge scam has led to a task team being set up to fully examine government purchasing and to probe the extent of the financial loss.

   Synonyms

   investigate, conduct an investigation into, enquire into, look into, study, conduct an enquiry into, examine, scrutinize, go into, carry out an inquest into, research, analyse, dissect, search into, delve into, dig into