The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Probable \Prob"a*ble\, a. [L. probabilis, fr. probare to try,
approve, prove: cf. F. probable. See Prove, and cf.
Provable.]
[1913 Webster]
1. Capable of being proved. [Obs.]
[1913 Webster]
2. Having more evidence for than against; supported by
evidence which inclines the mind to believe, but leaves
some room for doubt; likely.
[1913 Webster]
That is accounted probable which has better
arguments producible for it than can be brought
against it. --South.
[1913 Webster]
I do not say that the principles of religion are
merely probable; I have before asserted them to be
morally certain. --Bp. Wilkins.
[1913 Webster]
3. Rendering probable; supporting, or giving ground for,
belief, but not demonstrating; as, probable evidence;
probable presumption. --Blackstone.
[1913 Webster]
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.
[1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Error \Er"ror\, n. [OF. error, errur, F. erreur, L. error, fr.
errare to err. See Err.]
1. A wandering; a roving or irregular course. [Obs.]
[1913 Webster]
The rest of his journey, his error by sea. --B.
Jonson.
[1913 Webster]
2. A wandering or deviation from the right course or
standard; irregularity; mistake; inaccuracy; something
made wrong or left wrong; as, an error in writing or in
printing; a clerical error.
[1913 Webster]
3. A departing or deviation from the truth; falsity; false
notion; wrong opinion; mistake; misapprehension.
[1913 Webster]
His judgment was often in error, though his candor
remained unimpaired. --Bancroft.
[1913 Webster]
4. A moral offense; violation of duty; a sin or
transgression; iniquity; fault. --Ps. xix. 12.
[1913 Webster]
5. (Math.) The difference between the approximate result and
the true result; -- used particularly in the rule of
double position.
[1913 Webster]
6. (Mensuration)
(a) The difference between an observed value and the true
value of a quantity.
(b) The difference between the observed value of a
quantity and that which is taken or computed to be the
true value; -- sometimes called residual error.
[1913 Webster]
7. (Law.) A mistake in the proceedings of a court of record
in matters of law or of fact.
[1913 Webster]
8. (Baseball) A fault of a player of the side in the field
which results in failure to put out a player on the other
side, or gives him an unearned base.
[1913 Webster]
Law of error, or Law of frequency of error (Mensuration),
the law which expresses the relation between the magnitude
of an error and the frequency with which that error will
be committed in making a large number of careful
measurements of a quantity.
Probable error. (Mensuration) See under Probable.
Writ of error (Law), an original writ, which lies after
judgment in an action at law, in a court of record, to
correct some alleged error in the proceedings, or in the
judgment of the court. --Bouvier. Burrill.
Syn: Mistake; fault; blunder; failure; fallacy; delusion;
hallucination; sin. See Blunder.
[1913 Webster]