proxy

Acting for someone else or being used instead of something else.

• She cast a proxy vote.
• The computer connects through a proxy server.
• Researchers used income as a proxy measure of living standards.

Similar words: substitute, indirect

Common phrases: proxy vote, proxy server, proxy war, proxy measure

A person or thing acting instead of another, or permission for someone to act for you.

• You can vote by proxy.
• She appointed her brother as her proxy.
• The study used house size as a proxy for wealth.

How to use it: proxy for someone/something (Income is often used as a proxy for wealth.); by proxy (Shareholders can vote by proxy.)

Similar words: substitute, representative, stand-in

Common phrases: by proxy, act as proxy, proxy for someone, appoint a proxy

A computer system or software object that lets you use another service indirectly.

• The browser uses a proxy.
• Requests pass through the proxy before reaching the server.
• This proxy provides access to the remote service.

Similar words: intermediary

Common phrases: use a proxy, proxy server, proxy object, through a proxy

To act for another person or pass information through an intermediate computer system.

• This service can proxy requests.
• The server proxied traffic to another machine.
• She agreed to proxy for him at the meeting.

How to use it: proxy for someone/something (This server proxies for the main application.); proxy something through something (We proxy all requests through a local server.)

Similar words: stand in, act for, relay

Common phrases: proxy for someone, proxy requests, proxy network traffic