prove

/pruːv/ (bre, ipa) · /pruːv/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈprüv/ (ame, mw)

prove — verb

  • provepresent simple I / you / we / they
  • proveshe / she / it
  • provedpast simple
  • proven,past participle
  • provenpast participle
  • proving-ing form

1. to be seen or discovered to have a certain quality or result as time goes by

1.動詞不及物B1
釋義

to be seen or discovered to have a certain quality or result as time goes by

例句

The new medicine proved effective after several months of careful study.

prove + [adjective] (linking verb pattern)

Mateo's guess about the final score proved to be surprisingly accurate.

prove to be + [adjective]

同義詞
  • turn out

    less formal; often used in everyday speech instead of 'prove'

  • end up

    focuses more on the final state after a series of events

文法句型

prove + [adjective]

prove to be + [adjective/noun]

用法筆記

This is a linking verb, so it is followed directly by an adjective or by 'to be' + adjective/noun. Unlike sense 3, this sense does not take a that-clause. The subject is usually a thing or situation, not a person.

常見錯誤

❌The plan proved that it is useful.
✅The plan proved useful.
💡sense 1 is a linking verb; use an adjective directly, not a that-clause.
❌He proved a doctor.' (ambiguous)
✅He proved to be a doctor.
💡without 'to be', the sentence sounds like sense 3 (he showed proof that someone is a doctor).

2. to demonstrate your own ability or worth through your actions, so that others re

2.動詞及物B1
釋義

to demonstrate your own ability or worth through your actions, so that others recognize it

例句

Shirin proved herself during the busy holiday season by working extra shifts.

prove + [reflexive pronoun]

The young chef proved herself to be a calm leader even on the busiest nights.

prove + [reflexive pronoun] + to be + [noun]

同義詞
  • demonstrate

    more formal; 'demonstrate your ability' is a common alternative

  • show

    more general and less emphatic than 'prove'

文法句型

prove + [reflexive pronoun]

prove + [reflexive pronoun] + to be + [noun/adjective]

用法筆記

Almost always used with a reflexive pronoun (yourself, himself, herself, themselves). The object is the person whose ability is being demonstrated. Common in workplace, sports, and academic settings.

常見錯誤

❌She proved to be a good doctor.' (ambiguous — could be sense 1)
✅She proved herself to be a good doctor.
💡use a reflexive pronoun to clearly mean sense 2.

3. to demonstrate with facts, evidence, or reasoning that a statement or belief is

3.動詞及物B1
釋義

to demonstrate with facts, evidence, or reasoning that a statement or belief is correct

例句

Andrei proved his theory through a series of careful laboratory experiments.

prove + [noun phrase] (direct object)

The lawyer proved that her client was nowhere near the bank that night.

prove + that-clause

同義詞
  • confirm

    implies that something was already believed to be true; 'prove' is stronger

  • verify

    focuses on checking that something is correct, often against established facts

  • demonstrate

    can mean showing something is true by providing evidence or a practical example

反義詞

文法句型

prove + [noun phrase]

prove + that-clause

be proved + [adjective/infinitive]

用法筆記

The most literal sense of 'prove'. Unlike sense 1, this sense can take a that-clause and is commonly used in legal, scientific, and academic contexts. The opposite is 'disprove'. Frequently used in the passive voice ('it was proved that...').

常見錯誤

❌I proved him.' (incomplete)
✅I proved him wrong.' or 'I proved his theory.
💡'prove' needs a clear object like a claim, fact, or quality.
❌This proves about his guilt.
✅This proves his guilt.
💡'prove' is not followed by 'about'.

4. to try out a method, piece of equipment, or idea in order to see whether it work

4.動詞及物B2
釋義

to try out a method, piece of equipment, or idea in order to see whether it works or has the expected qualities

例句

The engineers proved the new engine design before giving it to the factory.

formal register: prove + [object being tested]

Nellie proved several different approaches to find the most efficient one.

同義詞
  • test

    more common in everyday English; 'test' implies checking if something works

  • try out

    informal; suggests testing something in a practical situation

文法句型

prove + [noun phrase]

用法筆記

This sense is more formal and less frequent than sense 3. In everyday modern English, 'test' or 'try out' is much more common. This sense is found more in technical, engineering, and quality-control writing.

5. to allow dough made with yeast to swell and rise before baking; or for the dough

5.動詞及物 / 不及物B2
釋義

to allow dough made with yeast to swell and rise before baking; or for the dough itself to swell as the yeast produces gas

例句

Cover the dough with a clean cloth and let it prove for about one hour.

let + [noun] + prove (causative pattern)

Amihan proved the bread dough in a warm spot near the kitchen stove.

文法句型

prove + [noun]

[noun] + proves

let + [noun] + prove

用法筆記

Primarily used in British English. In American English, the verb 'proof' or simply 'rise' is more common. The noun form used in baking is 'proving' (as in 'proving drawer' or 'proving time').

常見錯誤

❌Let the bread prove for 10 minutes in the oven.' (in baking, 'prove' is done before baking, not in the oven)
✅Let the bread prove on the counter for one hour before baking.