Profess
[prə'fes] or [prə'fɛs]
Definition
(verb.) state insincerely; 'He professed innocence but later admitted his guilt'; 'She pretended not to have known the suicide bomber'; 'She pretends to be an expert on wine'.
(verb.) confess one's faith in, or allegiance to; 'The terrorists professed allegiance to their country'; 'he professes to be a Communist'.
(verb.) practice as a profession, teach, or claim to be knowledgeable about; 'She professes organic chemistry'.
(verb.) take vows, as in religious order; 'she professed herself as a nun'.
(verb.) receive into a religious order or congregation.
(verb.) state freely; 'The teacher professed that he was not generous when it came to giving good grades'.
Typed by Barack--From WordNet
Definition
(v. t.) To make open declaration of, as of one's knowledge, belief, action, etc.; to avow or acknowledge; to confess publicly; to own or admit freely.
(v. t.) To set up a claim to; to make presence to; hence, to put on or present an appearance of.
(v. t.) To present to knowledge of, to proclaim one's self versed in; to make one's self a teacher or practitioner of, to set up as an authority respecting; to declare (one's self to be such); as, he professes surgery; to profess one's self a physician.
(v. i.) To take a profession upon one's self by a public declaration; to confess.
(v. i.) To declare friendship.
Inputed by Elsa
Synonyms and Synonymous
v. a. [1]. Avow, acknowledge, own, confess, declare, affirm, avouch, aver, allege.[2]. Pretend, lay claim to.
Typed by Enid
Synonyms and Antonyms
SYN:Declare, avow, acknowledge, own, confess, pretend, proclaim, lay_claim_to
ANT:Conceal, suppress, disown, disavow, repudiate, renounce, abjure
Checker: Melanie
Definition
v.t. to own freely: to make open declaration of: to declare in strong terms: to announce publicly one's skill in: to affirm one's belief in: (Spens.) to present the appearance of: (R.C.) to receive into a religious order by profession.—v.i. to enter publicly into a religious state: (Shak.) to pretend friendship.—adj. Professed′ openly declared: avowed: acknowledged.—adv. Profess′edly.—n. Profes′sion the act of professing: open declaration: pretence: an employment not mechanical and requiring some degree of learning: calling or known employment: the collective body of persons engaged in any profession: entrance into a religious order.—adj. Profes′sional pertaining to a profession: engaged in a profession: undertaken as a means of subsistence as opposed to Amateur.—n. one who makes his living by an art as opposed to an amateur who practises it merely for pastime.—n. Profes′sionalism.—adv. Profes′sionally.—ns. Profess′or one who professes: one who openly declares belief in certain doctrines: one who publicly practises or teaches any branch of knowledge: a public and authorised teacher in a university:—fem. Profess′oress; Profess′orate Professō′riāte the office of a professor or public teacher: his period of office: body of professors.—adj. Professō′rial.—adv. Professō′rially.—n. Profess′orship.
Typist: Penelope
Examples
- If they profess a disinclination for it, I only set it down that they have not yet seen the right person. Jane Austen. Mansfield Park.
- Tiglath Pileser III and Sargon II, names already familiar in this story, profess to have made them pay tribute. H. G. Wells. The Outline of History_Being a Plain History of Life and Mankind.
- Society has claims on us all; and I profess myself one of those who consider intervals of recreation and amusement as desirable for everybody. Jane Austen. Pride and Prejudice.
- But, in return, your sister must allow me to feel no more than I profess. Jane Austen. Sense and Sensibility.
- He does not profess to have more than second-hand knowledge there. George Eliot. Middlemarch.
- Did I profess to teach them the conduct befitting ladies? Charlotte Bronte. Villette.
- Pray understand that I do not profess to have been at all overfond of my late daughter. Wilkie Collins. The Woman in White.
- He professed himself extremely anxious about her fair friendher fair, lovely, amiable friend. Jane Austen. Emma.
- The Captain did not in the least hear him or look at the stout gentleman in the nightcap, about whom he professed to have such a tender interest. William Makepeace Thackeray. Vanity Fair.
- I professed myself convinced by it accordingly. Wilkie Collins. The Moonstone.
- He professed himself more relieved and encouraged than he really was, and approached his second and last point. Charles Dickens. A Tale of Two Cities.
- Jerry hoarsely professed himself at Miss Pross's service. Charles Dickens. A Tale of Two Cities.
- Leinster, much as he professed to esteem, respect and love me, went out in a sailing-boat every morning, instead of walking about with me. Harriette Wilson. The Memoirs of Harriette Wilson.
- I professed from the first to disregard dates. Harriette Wilson. The Memoirs of Harriette Wilson.
- There is a conception of education which professes to be based upon the idea of development. John Dewey. Democracy and Education.
- He got all those pebbles on the sea shore, abreast the ship, but professes to have gathered them from one of our party. Mark Twain. The Innocents Abroad.
- He professes morality. Charles Dickens. Hard Times.
- The culprit falters excuses, and professes a determination to do better tomorrow. Charles Dickens. David Copperfield.
- His visitor professes his regret to hear it and asks him does he remember Jo. Charles Dickens. Bleak House.
- If she professes friendship, be certain she is sincere. Charlotte Bronte. Shirley.
- Is there any city which professes to have received laws from you, as Sicily and Italy have from Charondas, Sparta from Lycurgus, Athens from Solon? Plato. The Republic.
- And he came back professing to be a changed man; there was to be no more despotism; he would respect the constitution régime. H. G. Wells. The Outline of History_Being a Plain History of Life and Mankind.
- A new political party was growing up in the state, the Social Democrats, professing the doctrines of Marx. H. G. Wells. The Outline of History_Being a Plain History of Life and Mankind.
- She rose, asking no questions and professing no surprise. Charlotte Bronte. Shirley.
- Thing our clergymen wear, you know,' explained Miss Jenny, in consideration of his professing another faith. Charles Dickens. Our Mutual Friend.
- Dr. Grant, professing an indisposition, for which he had little credit with his fair sister-in-law, could not spare his wife. Jane Austen. Mansfield Park.
- Not that these are the worst enemies of philosophy, who is far more dishonoured by her own professing sons when they are corrupted by the world. Plato. The Republic.
- Without scruplewithout apologywithout much apparent diffidence, Mr. Elton, the lover of Harriet, was professing himself _her_ lover. Jane Austen. Emma.
Checker: Spenser