probation

probation, n.
  (prəʊˈbeɪʃən)
  [ME. probacion, a. OF. probacion (14th c. in Hatz.-Darm.), mod.F. -ation, ad. L. probātiōn-em, n. of action f. prob-āre to prove, test.]
  I. † 1. a. The action or process of testing or putting to the proof; trial, experiment; investigation, examination. Obs. (exc. as in 2).

c 1412 Hoccleve De Reg. Princ. 376, I þanke it god, non inclinacioun Haue I to labour in probacioun Of his hy knowleche & his myghty werkys. c 1440 Gesta Rom. xix. 66 (Harl. MS.) What is þe depnesse of the See?.. If I were a ston, I shuld discende to þe grounde of þe see, & telle you the soth by probacion. 1559 Fecknam in Strype Ann. Ref. (1709) I. App. ix. 24 Towchinge the second rule..of..probation, whether of bothe these religions is the better. 1682 Bunyan Holy War xii, Thy lying flatteries we have had and made sufficient probation of. 1736 Neal Hist. Purit. III. 495 It was published by way of probation, that they might learn the sense of the nation. 1865 Mozley Mirac. viii. 181 We see a broad distinction, arising..from..the character of the witnesses, the probation of the testimony.

  † b. Surg. Examination by or as by means of a probe; the use of a probe. Obs.

1612 Woodall Surg. Mate Wks. (1653) 17 The Probe..there is much abuse of this instrument oftentimes by making probation (as the phrase is). 1685 Cooke Marrow Chirurg. i. i. 3 Probation, made either by hand, Instrument, or both.

  † c. Trial by ordeal. Obs. rare.

1693 I. Mather Cases of Consc. (1862) 273 The Vulgar Probation by casting into the Water practised upon Persons accused with other Crimes as well as that of Witchcraft. Ibid. 274 When they were brought to their vulgar Probation, [they] sunk down under the Water like other Persons.

  d. The examining of students as a test of proficiency; a school or college examination. Now only in U.S.

1706 Phillips, Probation,..the Tryal of a Student, who is about to take his Degrees in an University. 1766 Entick London IV. 157 There is an order appointed for the probation of the school. 1895 Funk's Stand. Dict., Probation... Specifically: (1) In universities, examination of a student for degrees.

  2. The testing or trial of a person's conduct, character, or moral qualifications; a proceeding designed to ascertain these: esp. in reference to the period or state of trial. a. Of a candidate for membership in a religious body, order, or society, for holy orders, for fellowship in a college, etc. (Cf. probationer.)

1432–50 tr. Higden (Rolls) IV. 327 This peple [Essenes]..not takenge eny man to theire secte withowte probacion by the space of a yere. 1597 Hooker Eccl. Pol. v. lxviii. §8 They first set no time howe long this supposed probation must continue. 1603 Shakes. Meas. for M. v. i. 72. 1611 Beaum. & Fl. Philaster ii. ii, She that hath snow enough about her heart,..May be a nun without probation. 1872 O. Shipley Gloss. Eccl. Terms s.v. Monks, They were subjected to a probation, but did not take solemn vows.

  b. In theological and religious use: Moral trial or discipline; the divinely appointed or managed testing and determination of character and principle, esp. as taking place in this life in view of a future state of rewards and punishments.
  future probation, a similar moral trial after death, which some believe will be granted to those who have not accepted, or have not had the offer of, the Gospel in this life, or to those who depart this life insufficiently purified.

1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 5 b, To saue them in theyr probacyon in deserte. 1529 More Suppl. Soulys Wks. 315/1 [margin] The probacion of purgatorye. 1547 Boorde Brev. Health xcix. 38 b, If aduersitie do come, it is either sent to punysse man for synne, or els probacion. 1563 Winȝet Wks. (S.T.S.) II. 36 The prouidence of God sufferis that thing to be for our probatioun. 1703 Nelson Fest. & Fasts ii. (1705) 29 At the end of the World. When the state of our Trial and Probation shall be finish'd, 'twill be a proper Season for the distribution of publick Justice. a 1805 Paley Serm. xxxiii. (1810) 491 Of the various views under which human life has been considered, no one seems so reasonable as that which regards it as a state of probation. 1907 H. Buckle (title) The After Life: A Help to a Reasonable Belief in the Probation Life to Come.

  c. In general use.

1616 Cheque Bk. Chapel Royal (Camden) 8 For a yeare of probacion of his manners and good behavior. 1754 Richardson Grandison V. xlii. 262 The creature..who would have lived with you on terms of probation. 1833 Chalmers in Hanna Mem. (1851) III. xviii. 356 After the probation of eighteen years, we have the Second Book of Discipline 1578. 1860 G. J. Whyte-Melville Holmby House (new ed.) 287 Are they places of probation, of reward, of punishment? 1871 R. Ellis Catullus xxviii. 5 Enough of empty masters, Frost and famine, a lingering probation.

  3. In criminal jurisdiction: A system of dealing (chiefly) with young persons found guilty of crimes of lesser gravity, and esp. with first offenders, wherein these, instead of being sent to prison or otherwise punished, are released on suspended sentence during good behaviour, and placed under the supervision of a probation officer, who acts as a friend and adviser, but who, in case of the failure of the probationer to fulfil the terms of his probation, can report him back to the court for the execution of the sentence originally imposed. Used in the U.K. by Criminal Courts for certain adult offenders.
  The term has been in use in parts of U.S., as Massachusetts, since 1878.

1897 Resol. Comm. Howard Assoc. June, Either an industrial discipline in special institutions, or, better still, a system of conditional liberty under the supervision of probation officers. 1906 J. G. Legge Rep. Reform. & Industr. Schools, There is much discussion at present of the advantages of a probation system and of probation officers. Infinite good will undoubtedly be achieved by an effective probation system. 1907 Westm. Gaz. 21 Mar. 2/3 In America the probation-officer, who makes every possible inquiry into the circumstances of the offence and advises the judge, has long been an institution. 1907 Let. of Secr. N.Y. State Probation Commission 7 Oct., Since the year 1878 in Massachusetts, and now in most of the commonwealths of the United States, persons found guilty of crimes (usually of the rank of misdemeanors..) have instead of being sent to a penal institution, been placed on probation... The term of probation varies from a few weeks to over a year. Probation officers are either salaried by public authorities or serve as volunteers so far as their official status is concerned... The term ordinarily employed in this country is ‘to place on’ or ‘under probation’, ‘to put on’ or ‘under probation’. Ibid., The expression ‘probation-law’ is coming into usage. The State of New York has recently established a ‘Probation Commission’. 1921 E. Ruggles-Brise Eng. Prison Syst. ix. 108 The principle of conditional conviction is common to most penal codes... It may take the form..of judicial reprimand, or of being bound over to be of good behaviour, or of probation. 1969 F. Finlay Boy in Blue Jeans xix. 218 I'm amazed to hear you got probation. Ibid. 219 Within weeks of being put on probation Christopher left the hostel and he was sacked from his job. 1971 R. Cross Punishment, Prison & Public i. 20 Probation is essentially the suspension of punishment conditional on there being no further offence for a period during which the offender is placed under personal supervision. Ibid. iii. 110 It leads one to wonder whether magistrates might not make more use of probation and less of imprisonment. 1973 Howard Jrnl. XIII. 346 He applies crisis theory to probation, and rightly suggests that there is scope for short-term probation.

  II. 4. a. The action of proving, or showing to be true; proof, demonstration; an instance of this, a proof, a demonstration. Now rare or Obs. exc. Sc.

c 1475 Harl. Contin. Higden (Rolls) VIII. 468 The seide man..faylenge in the probacion of his accusacion was..hongede. 1500–20 Dunbar Poems lxv. 9 The curious probatioun logicall. a 1533 Frith Answ. More (1548) A v b, The seconde parte..nedeth no probacion. 1558 Knox First Blast (Arb.) 35 In probation whereof, because the mater is more than euident, I will vse fewe wordes. 1598 Drayton Heroic. Ep., Edw. IV to Mrs. Shore 126 Poore plodding Schoole⁓men they are farre too lowe, Which by probations, rules, and axiomes goe. 1676 G. Towerson Decalogue 35, I will not..attempt the probation of it. 1836 Sir W. Hamilton Discuss. (1852) 308 The cogency of strict probation. 1889 Stevenson Master of B. x, It was clear, even to probation, the pamphlets had some share in this revolution.

  † b. Something that proves or demonstrates; that which constitutes the ground of proof; proof, demonstrative evidence. Chiefly Sc. Obs.

1432–50 tr. Higden (Rolls) I. 367 An argumente and a probacion of this thynge dothe appere in that the fischer..may see in the bryȝhte daies of somer vnder the waters hye towres and rownde of chirches. 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 199 That is a great probacyon of the trewth therof. 1535 Stewart Cron. Scot. (Rolls) III. 392 The quhilk wedding wes lauchfull probatioun Of his barnis legitimatioun. 1678 Sir G. Mackenzie Crim. Laws Scot. ii. xxiv. §1 (1699) 256 Probation is defined to be, that whereby the Judge is convinced of what is asserted. 1752 W. Miller in Scots Mag. (1753) May 235/2 His..confession would be no probation of his having committed the crime.

  † c. The proving of a will: = probate n. 2.

1529 Act 21 Hen. VIII, c. 5 Dyvers ordynaries take for the probacion of testamentes..sometyme .xl.s. Passim. 1571 Wills & Inv. N.C. (Surtees) I. 353, I require..James Cole to trauell with my said doughter about the probacion of this my will. 1590 Swinburne Testaments 224 Formes of prouing testaments..which are referred to that kinde of probation which is called publicatio testamenti.

  III. 5. attrib. and Comb., as (sense 1) probation-dish; (sense 2 a) probation sermon, probation-weed (= garment); (sense 2 b) probation-space, probation-state; (sense 3) probation commission, probation law, probation officer, probation system; also probation class, probation station, for convicts in convict settlements; probation order, a court order committing an offender to a period of probation; probation report, a probation officer's report on an accused person submitted to a court before sentence is passed, a social inquiry report; probation service, probation and after-care service, a function which carries responsibility for the oversight of probationers and the care of accused persons and discharged prisoners.

1899 Westm. Gaz. 31 Oct. 8/3 All prisoners..remain there three months, but if they show docile spirit at the end of that time they are transferred into the *probation class.

1625 B. Jonson Staple of N. iv. Interm., Let Master Doctor dissect him, haue him open'd, and his tripes translated to Lickfinger, to make a *probation dish of.

1906 Rep. N.Y. Probation Comm. i. 8 The duties of the *probation officer were to inquire into the previous history of any defendant when so directed by the court. 1909 Westm. Gaz. 1 Apr. 2/1 Section 107 of the Act contains a most useful conspectus of the substitutes for imprisonment which are at the disposal of the Court. They are..discharging the offender and placing him under the supervision of a probation officer. 1922 H. H. Goddard Juvenile Delinquency 78 Finally she was brought to the Bureau [in Ohio] September 1918, by the probation officer to see if we could give any advice. 1930 Morning Post 8 Aug. 10 The Home Secretary has decided to introduce an experimental scheme for training full-time probation officers. 1975 Howard Jrnl. XIV. ii. 28 Such work should also be familiar to the reporting probation officer if he is to be of real value to the sentencing court.

1921 E. Ruggles-Brise Eng. Prison Syst. ix. 109 The extent to which *Probation Orders are applied varies to a great extent in different parts of the country. 1948 Act 11 & 12 Geo. VI c. 58 §3 Where a court by or before which a person is convicted of an offence..is of opinion that having regard to the circumstances, including the nature of the offence and the character of the offender, it is expedient to do so, the court may, instead of sentencing him, make a probation order, that is to say, an order requiring him to be under the supervision of a probation officer for a period to be specified in the order of not less than one year nor more than three years. 1969 Listener 26 June 908/3 Each probation officer has around 60 cases at a time (most in Wales and fewest in London; women probation officers, dealing with female offenders, have a smaller case-load). Out of these, he can expect about six or seven to be so successful that the probation order can be cut short. 1978 J. B. Hilton Some run Crooked ix. 91 The Bench..made a probation order: and Harbutt listened like a model penitent.

1973 J. Patrick Glasgow Gang Observed iv. 39 The *probation report offered this summary of Dick at the age of fourteen. 1977 Wandsworth Borough News 16 Sept. 17/2 [He] was remanded in custody for probation reports.

1662 Pepys Diary 4 May, The church being full..to hear a Doctor who is to preach a *probacion sermon. 1813 A. Bruce Life A. Morus ii. 37 He heard the probation sermons of the students of divinity.

1958 New Statesman 11 Oct. 479/3 It is fair to say..that even if the *probation service can ever carry this added burden, it is likely to be found..that the rehabilitative part of the work calls for welfare workers with a special kind of training not hitherto given to probation officers in this country. 1972 Times 19 Dec. 3/6 For the first time since the probation service was set up in 1907, officers in inner London yesterday went on strike.

1878 Browning La Saisiaz 270 Assuming earth to be a pupil's place, And life, time,—with all their chances, changes,—just *probation-space.

1736 Butler Anal. i. v. 79 The Consideration of our being in a *Probation-state.

1852 Mundy Our Antipodes (1857) 211 Darlington had been a *Probation Station containing some four hundred prisoners.

Ibid., It was resumed when the *Probation System was introduced, and has since again been vacated as a Government station.

a 1619 Fletcher, etc. Knt. Malta v. i, I must or deliver in..my *probation-weed, Or take the cloke.

  Hence proˈbation v. trans., to place (an offender) under or on probation (sense 3); whence proˈbationed ppl. a.

1889 Charity Organis. Rev. Nov. 439 The probationed element is admitted in dealing with both. 1907 Let. of Secr. N.Y. Probation Comm. 7 Oct., In Indianapolis..the word ‘probation’ is used as a verb, as for instance ‘I probation you’.

Oxford English Dictionary