Milton.
This was a good, stout proof article of faith.
Burke.
3. Being of a certain standard as to strength; -- said of alcoholic
liquors.
Proof charge (Firearms), a charge of powder and ball, greater than the
service charge, fired in an arm, as a gun or cannon, to test its
strength. -- Proof impression. See under Impression. -- Proof load
(Engin.), the greatest load than can be applied to a piece, as a beam,
column, etc., without straining the piece beyond the elastic limit. --
Proof sheet. See Proof, n., 5. - - Proof spirit (Chem.), a strong
distilled liquor, or mixture of alcohol and water, containing not less
than a standard amount of alcohol. In the United States "proof spirit
is defined by law to be that mixture of alcohol and water which
contains one half of its volume of alcohol, the alcohol when at a
temperature of 60∞ Fahrenheit being of specific gravity 0.7939 referred
to water at its maximum density as unity. Proof spirit has at 60∞
Fahrenheit a specific gravity of 0.93353, 100 parts by volume of the
same consisting of 50 parts of absolute alcohol and 53.71 parts of
water," the apparent excess of water being due to contraction of the
liquids on mixture. In England proof spirit is defined by Act 58,
George III., to be such as shall at a temperature of 51∞ Fahrenheit
weigh exactly the part of an equal measure of distilled water. This
contains 49.3 per cent by weight, or 57.09 by volume, of alcohol.
Stronger spirits, as those of about 60, 70, and 80 per cent of alcohol,
are sometimes called second, third, and fourth proof spirits
respectively. -- Proof staff, a straight-edge used by millers to test
the flatness of a stone. -- Proof stick (Sugar Manuf.), a rod in the
side of a vacuum pan, for testing the consistency of the sirup. --
Proof text, a passage of Scripture used to prove a doctrine.
Proof`-arm" (?), v. t. To arm with proof armor; to arm securely; as, to
proof-arm herself. [R.] Beau. & Fl.
Proof"less, a. Wanting sufficient evidence to induce belief; not
proved. Boyle. -- Proof"less*ly, adv.
Proof"-proof`, a. Proof against proofs; obstinate in the wrong. "That
might have shown to any one who was not proof-proof." Whateley.
||Pro*ˆs"tra*cum (?), n.; pl. Proˆstraca (#). [NL., fr. Gr. &?; before
||+ &?; shell of a testacean.] (Zoˆl.) The anterior prolongation of the
||guard of the phragmocone of belemnites and allied fossil cephalopods,
||whether horny or calcareous. See Illust. of Phragmocone.
Pro*ˆ"tic (?), a. [Pref. pro- + Gr. &?;, &?;, an ear.] (Anat.) In
front of the auditory capsule; -- applied especially to a bone, or
center of ossification, in the periotic capsule. -- n. A proˆtic bone.
Prop (?), n. A shell, used as a die. See Props.
Prop (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Propped (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Propping.]
[Akin to LG. & D. proppen to cram, stuff, thrust into, stop, G.
pfropfen, Dan. proppe, Sw. proppa; of uncertain origin, cf. G. pfropfen
to graft, fr. L. propago set, layer of a plant, slip, shoot. Cf. 3d.
Prop, Propagate.] To support, or prevent from falling, by placing
something under or against; as, to prop up a fence or an old building;
(Fig.) to sustain; to maintain; as, to prop a declining state. Shak.
Till the bright mountains prop the incumbent sky.
Pope.
For being not propp'd by ancestry.
Shak.