A probe is an investigation that digs deep to uncover hidden information or understand something that isn't immediately obvious. When a committee launches a probe into why a bridge collapsed, they examine documents, interview witnesses, and test materials to discover the real cause. News reporters might conduct a probe into local pollution, investigating where it comes from and who's responsible.

The word originally meant a thin medical instrument that doctors use to explore wounds or body cavities. Scientists kept this meaning when they named their exploration tools: a space probe is an unmanned spacecraft sent to investigate distant planets, and a temperature probe measures heat in places that are hard to reach, like inside a roasting turkey.

To probe as a verb means to investigate carefully and persistently. A detective probes a suspect's alibi by asking detailed questions. A scientist might probe the ocean floor with special equipment. When someone probes for answers, they're not accepting surface explanations but pushing deeper, asking follow-up questions until they understand what's really happening.

The word suggests thoroughness and persistence. You don't probe something with a casual glance. You probe when you're serious about finding the truth.