Section test. Variable n:nat. Lemma foo: 0 <= n. Proof. (* declaring an Axiom during a proof makes it immediatly usable, juste as a full Definition. *) Axiom bar : n = 1. rewrite bar. now apply le_S. Qed. Lemma foo' : 0 <= n. Proof. (* Declaring an Hypothesis during a proof is ok, but this hypothesis won't be usable by the current proof(s), only by later ones. *) Hypothesis bar' : n = 1. Fail rewrite bar'. Abort. Lemma foo'' : 0 <= n. Proof. rewrite bar'. now apply le_S. Qed. End test.