From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishprobationpro‧ba‧tion /prəˈbeɪʃən $ proʊ-/ noun [uncountable] 1 SCLa system that allows some criminals not to go to prison or to leave prison, if they behave well and see a probation officer regularly, for a particular period of time The judge sentenced Jennings to three years’ probation.(put/place somebody) on probation He pleaded guilty and was placed on probation.2 BECa period of time, during which an employer can see if a new worker is suitable a three-month probation periodon probation Some people are appointed on probation.3 American EnglishBEC a period of time in which you must improve your work or behave well so that you will not have to leave your job I’m afraid I have no choice but to put you on probation. —probationary adjective a probationary period
Examples from the Corpus
probation• Chief dies: Alec Nuttall, former chief probation officer of Teesside and then Cleveland, has died aged 68.• The 31-year-old rap executive has been in jail since October for probation violations.• Tomkinson had a previous conviction for exposing himself to a woman in 1985 and was given probation in 1990 for assault.• Joseph, of Bow, east London, was given probation at the Old Bailey yesterday for attempted robbery.• Gary DeHart, two-time series champion Terry Labonte's crew chief, also was fined and placed on probation in Daytona.• The penalty agreed to on the cocaine charge includes four years of supervised probation and random drug testing.• He faces up to a year in jail and five years' probation.on probation• All new employees are on probation for nine months.put ... on probation• The nine suggested Lobanov be put on probation -- and fired if things did not improve.• He put her on probation for three years on condition she remained an in-patient at a psychiatric hospital.• A judge put Mrs Soon on probation.• He was put on probation and ordered to pay £360 in compensation and costs.• He was put on probation for two years.• One of the two teenagers was put on probation for a year, the other received a supervision order.From Longman Business Dictionaryprobationpro‧ba‧tion /prəˈbeɪʃənproʊ-/ noun [uncountable]1HUMAN RESOURCES a period of time during which a new employee is tested to make sure they are suitable for a jobAt the end of the year I can pass or fail or have my probation extended.After a three-monthprobation period, a Maruwa Orimono recruit is entitled to a car.on probationThe chief executive hired me on probation for three months.2COMMERCE a fixed period of time during which a person or company must improve their performance if they are to continue working, trading etcplace somebody on probationCalpers said it was placing Salomon on probation, meaning it could sever all its business ties with the firm.3LAW a system of dealing with criminals which allows them not to go to prison, if they behave well and see an official adviser regularly, for a fixed period of timeTwo of the accused were sentenced to prison terms, and the third received 10 months’ probation.on probationThe disgraced former regional director wasplaced on probation for three years. 