Can someone explain what does proxying mean in simple terms? or What does proxying mean and how does

"New to networking—what does proxying mean exactly?"

Hey folks,

So I keep hearing about "proxying" but tbh, I'm kinda lost. Like, what does proxying mean in plain English? Is it just some fancy middleman thing or what?

From what I gather, it’s basically when a server (the proxy) acts on your behalf—kinda like ordering food through a friend instead of going yourself. But how does it *actually* work? Does it hide your IP or just forward requests?

Also, why would someone even use it? Privacy? Bypassing restrictions?

Sorry if this sounds dumb, but ELI5 pls. 😅

Thanks!