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proof

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110 proof

Extremely strong or potent. Its original sense refers to the alcohol content of liquor. This cleanser is 110 proof. If it can't get the stain out, nothing can.

See also: 110, proof

bulletproof

1. adjective Resilient or impervious to bullets, as of fabric or other material. That bulletproof vest saved my life!

2. adjective Resistant to mishandling, abuse, damage, error, or malfunction. Don't worry about breaking the phone, these new models are bulletproof! We've developed a bulletproof computer program that even the most non-computer-savvy person will be able to use!

3. adjective Extremely well planned or thought out, such as to be impervious to criticism or failure. We have a bulletproof plan for tackling poverty in the neighborhood. My thesis proposal is absolutely bulletproof.

4. verb To make resilient or impervious to bullets, as of fabric or other material. After crime rates rose in the city, many stores began bulletproofing their windows and doors.

5. verb To make resistant to mishandling, abuse, damage, error, or malfunction. Don't worry about breaking the phone, these new models have been totally bulletproofed! We've bulletproofed our latest computer program so that even the most non-computer-savvy person will be able to use it!

6. verb To plan or think something out so well as to be impervious to criticism or failure. Make sure you bulletproof your plan before you submit it to the developers. I spent an extra two weeks totally bulletproofing my doctoral thesis.

burden of proof

The requirement and obligation of providing sound, reasonable evidence supporting a charge or allegation. Originating and used primarily in law, it can be applied more broadly to any situation in which a contentious dispute arises. In court, the burden of proof always rests on the plaintiffs and the prosecutors. The burden of proof is on you to show that the computer was broken before you bought it.

See also: burden, of, proof

put to the proof

To be tested, or to test something. I'm hopeful that the invention will now finally work properly, but it needs to be put to the proof first.

See also: proof, put

proof is in the pudding

Prov. You cannot be sure that you have succeeded until you have examined the result of your efforts. Jill: I think we've done a good job of fixing the lawn mower. Jane: Well, the proof is in the pudding. We haven't tried to mow the lawn with it yet.

See also: proof, pudding

The proof of the pudding is in the eating.

Prov. You don't know the quality of something until you have tried it or experienced it. Theory says that this material will produce a superior widget, but the proof of the pudding is in the eating.

See also: eating, of, proof, pudding

the proof of the pudding (is in the eating)

the way to judge something is by its results Economic growth is the proof of the pudding for the president's tax and budget plans.

See also: of, proof, pudding

The proof of the pudding (is in the eating).

something that you say which means that you cannot judge the value of something until you have tried it I've read the proposal and it looks promising, but the proof of the pudding is in the eating.

See also: of, proof, pudding

burden of proof

Obligation of proving a disputed charge or allegation. For example, Are you sure you mailed the tax return on time? The burden of proof's on you. A legal term dating from the late 1500s, it has also been used more loosely in recent times.

See also: burden, of, proof

proof of the pudding, the

Results are what count, as in Let's see if this ad actually helps sales-the proof of the pudding, you know. The full expression of this proverb, dating from about 1600, is The proof of the pudding is in the eating, but it has become so well known that it is often abbreviated.

See also: of, proof

carded

and proofed

mod. [of an ID card] examined to determine whether one has reached the legal drinking age. Dave got carded at the party even though he is thirty and looks it. As soon as we were proofed, we got in and got some brews.

See also: card

proofed

verb

See carded

See also: proof

drool-proof

mod. can withstand idiots who drool. (Of well-written software that even droolings idiots can operate without crashing.) This software package is drool-proof. Even my grandmother could use it.

goof-proof

1. mod. foolproof; not subject to misuse. This scheme is not goof-proof, but it’s pretty sound.

2. tv. to make something foolproof; to take action to see that something cannot be misused. See if this can be goof-proofed by Monday evening.