a person authorized to act for another
"My father appointed his lawyer as a proxy to vote on my behalf during the shareholders' meeting while he was out of town."
a power of attorney document given by shareholders of a corporation authorizing a specific vote on their behalf at a corporate meeting
"The board president opened the proxy packets to cast votes for the absent shareholders during the annual general meeting."
An agent or substitute authorized to act for another person.
"The drone operator reported that their reconnaissance flight was cut short after triggering a field of proxy mines near the bridge entrance."
A proximity mine; a mine that explodes when something approaches within a certain distance.
In plain English: A proxy is something that acts as a substitute for someone else when they cannot be there themselves.
"I used my credit card details as a proxy to pay for my friend's meal."
Usage: In everyday usage, a proxy is an agent or substitute who acts on behalf of another person, not a type of explosive mine. Use this word to describe someone representing you in a meeting or voting for you when you cannot attend.
To serve as a proxy for.
"When his favorite band canceled, he bought tickets to their opening act just to have a taste of the concert experience."
In plain English: To act as a substitute for someone else when you are not allowed to do it yourself.
"The company voted by proxy to approve the new budget."
Usage: Do not use "proxy" as a verb to mean acting on behalf of someone else; instead, say that you are acting as their proxy or using them as a proxy. The word functions only as a noun in everyday English, referring to the person or thing standing in for another.
Used as a proxy or acting as a proxy.
"The company appointed their legal representative to vote on their behalf, serving as a proxy for all shareholders."
In plain English: A proxy adjective describes something that acts as a substitute for another person or thing when they are not available to do it themselves.
"We need to find a proxy server to bypass the internet restrictions."
Usage: Use "proxy" as an adjective to describe something that serves as a substitute or representative for another entity, such as a proxy server handling requests on your behalf. Do not use it to mean "temporary" or "short-term," as those are incorrect interpretations of the word's core function.
The word "proxy" comes from the Latin prōcūrāre, meaning to manage or administer. It entered English through Middle English and French as a term for someone who acts on behalf of another person.