Definition

1. Noun:

   • The official proving of a will: The legal process of establishing the validity of a will before a competent court.
   • The official copy of a will with a certificate of its validity: A certified copy of a will, issued by a court, that authorizes the executor to administer the estate.

2. Verb:

   • To establish the legal validity of (a will): To submit a will to a court for the official process of proving its authenticity.
   • To put a convicted person on probation: (Archaic/Legal) To suspend the sentence of a convicted person and place them under supervision.

Usage

• As a Noun: Used to refer to the legal process or the resulting certified document concerning a will.
  • The family went to court to obtain probate of their father's will.
  • The executor cannot sell the house until she has the grant of probate.
• As a Verb: Used to describe the action of validating a will legally.
  • The lawyer will probate the will next week.
  • (Archaic) The judge decided to probate the offender.

Advanced Usage

• Probate court: A specialized court that handles matters concerning wills, estates, and guardianships.
  • The case was heard in the probate court.
• Probate law: The area of law dealing with the administration of estates.
  • She specializes in probate law.

Variants and Related Words

• Probation (n): A period of supervision over an offender, ordered by a court instead of serving time in prison. (Note: This is a distinct but historically related word).
  • He was released on probation for two years.
• Executor/Executrix (n): The person appointed in a will to carry out its instructions, whose authority is confirmed by probate.
  • The executor named in the will applied for probate.

Synonyms

• Noun (for the process): Validation, authentication, certification.
• Verb (for validating a will): Validate, authenticate, certify.

Related Phrases

• To apply for probate: To formally request a court to validate a will.
  • You must apply for probate to access the bank account.
• Grant of probate: The official document issued by the court confirming the executor's authority.
  • The bank requires a grant of probate before releasing the funds.

Idioms

• Tied up in probate: An informal idiom describing an estate or assets that are delayed in the legal process of administration.
  • The inheritance was tied up in probate for over a year.

Noun

1. the act of proving that an instrument purporting to be a will was signed and executed in accord with legal requirements
2. a judicial certificate saying that a will is genuine and conferring on the executors the power to administer the estate

Verb

1. establish the legal validity of (wills and other documents)
2. put a convicted person on probation by suspending his sentence