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v. pro·fessed, pro·fess·ing, pro·fess·es v.tr. 1. To affirm openly; declare or claim: "a physics major [who] professes to be a stickler when it comes to data" (Gina Maranto). 2. To make a pretense of; pretend: "top officials who were deeply involved with the arms sales but later professed ignorance of them" (David Johnston). 3. To practice as a profession or claim knowledge of: profess medicine. 4. To affirm belief in: profess Catholicism. 5. To receive into a religious order or congregation. v.intr. 1. To make an open affirmation. 2. To take the vows of a religious order or congregation. [Middle English professen, to take vows, from Old French profes, that has taken a religious vow (from Medieval Latin professus, avowed) and from Medieval Latin professāre, to administer a vow, both from Latin professus, past participle of profitērī, to affirm openly : pro-, forth; see PRO-1 + fatērī, to acknowledge; see bhā-2 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] pro·fessed·ly (-fĕsĭd-lē) adv. |
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