what does "prove" mean in a recipe?

[IreneAdler]

I have a recipe for bread and it says, once I've shaped the bread, to "prove" it for a further 45 mins. What does this mean?

It means to let it rise again - to 'prove' that the yeast is working and the bread will rise.

leave it somewhere warm to rise.

It means leave it to rise a second time.

You are proving that the yeast is still alive after the first rising and being knocked back and shaped.

thank you!