Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Probable?

\Prob"a*ble\, a. [L. probabilis, fr. probare to try, approve, prove: cf. F. probable. See {Prove}, and cf. {Provable}.] 1. Capable of being proved. [Obs.] 2. Having more evidence for than against; supported by evidence which inclines the mind to believe, but leaves some room for doubt; likely. That is accounted probable which has better arguments producible for it than can be brought against it. --South. I do not say that the principles of religion are merely probable; I have before asserted them to be morally certain. --Bp. Wilkins. 3. Rendering probable; supporting, or giving ground for, belief, but not demonstrating; as, probable evidence; probable presumption. --Blackstone. {Probable cause} (Law), a reasonable ground of presumption that a charge is, or my be, well founded. {Probable error} (of an observation, or of the mean of a number), that within which, taken positively and negatively, there is an even chance that the real error shall lie. Thus, if 3[sec] is the probable error in a given case, the chances that the real error is greater than 3[sec] are equal to the chances that it is less. The probable error is computed from the observations made, and is used to express their degree of accuracy. {The probable}, that which is within the bounds of probability; that which is not unnatural or preternatural; -- opposed to the marvelous.