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prŏbo , āvi, ātum, āre, v. a. 1. probus.
I. To try, test, examine, inspect, judge of any thing in respect of its goodness, fitness, etc. (rare in class. Lat.; not in Cic. or Cæs.; in eccl. Lat. very freq.).
A. Lit.: “militem neque a moribus neque a fortunā probabat, sed tantum a viribus,Suet. Caes. 65: “tus probatur candore, etc.,Plin. 12, 14, 32, § 65: “mucronem cultri ad buccam,Petr. 70: “terram amaram sive macram,Plin. 17, 5, 3, § 33: “denarios,id. 33, 9, 46, § 132: “pecuniam,Dig. 46, 3, 39; cf.: “sicut probavi ipse,have learned, proved by experience, Pall. 12, 7, 22: “aurum per ignem probatur,Vulg. 1 Pet. 1, 7: “juga boum,id. Luc. 14, 19.—
B. Trop.: “tuo ex ingenio mores alienos probas,judge of, Plaut. Pers. 2, 2, 30; id. Trin. 4, 3, 42: “amicitias utilitate,Ov. P. 2, 3, 8.— So, to test, try, prove, examine the mind or heart: “ipsi vos probate,Vulg. 2 Cor. 13, 5; cf. id. Zach. 13, 9; id. Psa. 138, 1 et saep.—
II. To esteem as good, serviceable, fit, just, etc.; to be satisfied with, to approve a thing (class.; cf. “comprobare): quis est, qui non probet, qui non laudet?Cic. Mil. 28, 77: “istam rationem laudo vehementer et probo,id. Fam. 7, 1, 5: Cato ea sentit, quae non probantur in vulgus, id. Par. prooem.; id. Fin. 2, 1, 1: “Asia picem Idaeam maxime probat,Plin. 14, 20, 25, § 128.—With objectclause: “Caesar maxime probat coactis navibus mare transire et Pompeium sequi,Caes. B. C. 1, 29.—
B. In partic. (mil. t. t.), to approve for military service, to recruit, enlist: quo (die) primum probati sunt, Traj. ap. Plin. Ep. 10, 30, 2.—
C. To declare any thing well done, to express approbation of, to approve a thing: “laudant fabrum atque aedes probant,Plaut. Most. 1, 2, 20: “domum,Cic. Fam. 5, 6, 3: “villam,Liv. 4, 22: “petentibus, ut ad opera probanda, anni et sex mensium tempus prorogaretur,id. 45, 15: “plausu probatae puellae,Juv. 11, 164.—
III. To represent or show a thing to be good, serviceable, fit, right, etc., to make acceptable, to recommend; and: aliquid alicui, to convince one of any thing: “quos (libros), ut spero, tibi valde probabo,Cic. Att. 4, 14, 1: “officium meum P. Servilio,Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 38, § 82: “causam alicui,id. Quint. 30, 92: “nostrum officium ac diligentiam,id. Div. in Caecil. 22, 72: “factum suum alicui,id. Att. 16, 7, 4: “omnia facta dictaque mea sanctissimis moribus tuis,Plin. Ep. 10, 3 (20), 3.—With de: “quibus de meo celeri reditu non probabam,Cic. Att. 16, 7, 4: se alicui, to make one's self acceptable: “(Epicurus) multis se probavit,id. Fin. 2, 25, 81: “quā in legatione (Ligarius) et civibus et sociis ita se probavit, ut, etc.,id. Lig. 1, 2.—Pass.: “mihi egregie probata est oratio tua,has pleased, Cic. Tusc. 4, 4, 8.—
B. In partic., to make a thing credible, to show, prove, demonstrate: “crimen,Cic. Fl. 37, 93: “his ego judicibus non probabo, C. Verrem contra leges pecunias cepisse?Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 4, § 10: “causam paucis verbis,id. Balb. 21, 49: “se memorem probare,grateful, id. Fam. 10, 24, 1: “perfacile factu esse illis probat, conata perficere,Caes. B. G. 1, 3: “hoc difficile est probatu,Cic. Tusc. 5, 1, 1: “et patrio pater esse metu probor,my paternal fear shows that I am your father, Ov. M. 2, 91: “sicut Thrasvmachi probat exitus,Juv. 7, 204.—With se: malo praesens observantiā, indulgentiā, assiduitate memorem me tibi probare, Planc. ap. Cic. Fam. 10, 24, 1.—
C. To represent, pass off a person for another: “loquebantur suppositum in ejus locum, quem pro illo probare velles,Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 30, § 78: “quod tu istis lacrumis te probare postulas, Non pluris refert quam, etc.,Plaut. Ps. 1, 1, 101.—So absol.: forma et aetas ipsast, facile ut pro eunucho probes, pass for one, Ter. Eun. 2, 3, 84.—Hence, prŏbātus , a, um, P. a.
A. Tried, tested, proved, of approved goodness, good, excellent (syn. spectatus).
2. Of things: “argentum,Plaut. Pers. 4, 6, 1: “probata experimento cultura,Quint. 10, 2, 2: “boleti probatissimi,Plin. 16, 5, 11, § 31: “probatissima palma,id. 23, 5, 52, § 98: “probatissima statua,id. 34, 8, 19, § 53: probata et exspectata adulescentia, Lucil. ap. Non. 437, 13: “moneta,Vulg. Gen. 23, 16.—
B. Transf., pleasing, agreeable: “ut nemo probatior primoribus patrum esset,Liv. 27, 8: “probatissimus alicui,Cic. Planc. 11, 27.
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