What does having something to prove mean?

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here was a long period of time where I had a chip on my shoulder and felt like I had to prove myself to everyone. I think we all have these stages in our lives, but guess how many people were impressed by that need to prove myself?

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French prover, pruver, from Latin probare to test, prove, from probus good, honest, from pro- for, in favor + -bus (akin to Old English bēon to be) — more at pro-, be

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 4

Time Traveler

The first known use of prove was in the 13th century

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/ pruv /

See synonyms for: prove / proved / proven / proves on Thesaurus.com

This shows grade level based on the word's complexity.

verb (used with object), proved, proved or prov·en, prov·ing.

to establish the truth or genuineness of, as by evidence or argument: to prove one's claim.

Law. to establish the authenticity or validity of (a will); probate.

to give demonstration of by action.

to subject to a test, experiment, comparison, analysis, or the like, to determine quality, amount, acceptability, characteristics, etc.: to prove ore.

to show (oneself) to have the character or ability expected of one, especially through one's actions.

Mathematics. to verify the correctness or validity of by mathematical demonstration or arithmetical proof.

Also proof. Printing. to take a trial impression of (type, a cut, etc.).

to cause (dough) to rise to the necessary lightness.

verb (used without object), proved, proved or prov·en, prov·ing.

to turn out: The experiment proved to be successful.

to be found by trial or experience to be: His story proved false.

(of dough) to rise to a specified lightness: Leave covered until it has proved.

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First recorded in 1125–75; Middle English proven, from Old French prover, from Latin probāre “to try, test, prove, approve,” derivative of probus “good.” See probity

Either proved or proven is standard as the past participle of prove : Events have proved (or proven ) him wrong. As a modifier, proven is by far the more common: a proven fact.

The idiom “The exception proves the rule” comes direct from the Roman statesman, lawyer, orator, and man of letters Marcus Tullius Cicero (106-43 b.c.) in a speech he wrote and delivered, Pro Balbo, in 56 b.c., as defense counsel for Lucius Cornelius Balbo Major (“Senior”). The full Latin sentence is exceptiō probat rēgulam in cāsibus non exceptīs “The exception tests the rule in cases that are not excepted,” which makes clear the implied existence of a general rule: for example, “No parking on Saturdays and Sundays” implies that parking is allowed the other five days of the week. Most often, however, the amputated sentence “The exception proves the rule” allows the meaning to be “The exception validates the rule.”

prov·a·ble, adjectiveprov·a·bil·i·ty, prov·a·ble·ness, nounprov·a·bly, adverbprov·en·ly, adverb

prover, nounhalf-proved, adjectivehalf-proven, adjectivenon·prov·a·ble, adjectiveo·ver·prove, verb (used with object), o·ver·proved, o·ver·proved or o·ver·prov·en, o·ver·prov·ing.pre·prove, verb (used with object), pre·proved, pre·proved or pre·prov·en, pre·prov·ing.self-proving, adjectivesem·i·prov·en, adjectiveun·prov·a·ble, adjectiveun·proved, adjectiveun·prov·en, adjectiveun·prov·ing, adjectivewell-proved, adjectivewell-proven, adjective

proustite, Proust, Marcel, Prout, Prov, provascular tissue, prove, proven, provenance, Provençal, Provençale, Provence

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

confirm, convince, demonstrate, determine, explain, find, justify, result, show, substantiate, test, try, turn out, validate, verify, affirm, analyze, ascertain, assay, attest

  • Ample examples exist to prove the effectiveness of guest posting in gaining brand visibility.

  • The digital dating sphere can prove tricky, and bruising, for the trans user.

    Grindr’s Trans Dating Problem|David Levesley|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST

  • Lee and Coogan did briefly meet with the pope, with pictures to prove it, but no one at the Vatican officially screened the film.

  • But if you have a hearing and you prove that someone is mature enough, well then that state interest evaporates.

  • Week after week, The Daily Beast features classic stories from the past that prove great writing is timeless.

  • He did not plead guilty, and has regularly filed petitions in an effort to prove his innocence.

  • Whether they had ever, at different times, pleaded for or against the same cause, and cited precedents to prove contrary opinions?

    Gulliver's Travels|Jonathan Swift

  • Accordingly, the question "How far does the note issue under the new system seem likely to prove an elastic one?"

    Readings in Money and Banking|Chester Arthur Phillips

  • The pictures of flowers which this artist paints prove her to be a devoted lover of nature.

  • I shall therefore, in my effort to prove the Bible fallible, quote almost wholly from Christian critics.

    God and my Neighbour|Robert Blatchford

  • Letters coming from him from time to time prove that he was alive and well at least until three months ago.

    St. Martin's Summer|Rafael Sabatini

verb proves, proving, proved, proved or proven (mainly tr)

(may take a clause as object or an infinitive) to establish or demonstrate the truth or validity of; verify, esp by using an established sequence of procedures or statements

to establish the quality of, esp by experiment or scientific analysis

law to establish the validity and genuineness of (a will)

to show (oneself) able or courageous

(copula) to be found or shown (to be)this has proved useless; he proved to be invaluable

printing to take a trial impression of (type, etc)

(intr) (of dough) to rise in a warm place before baking

provable, adjectiveprovability, nounprovably, adverb

C12: from Old French prover, from Latin probāre to test, from probus honest

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

In addition to the idiom beginning with prove

also see:

  • exception proves the rule

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

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