D defs.my
Entry 5 senses · 2 variants Webster, 1913

Profess

/prəf-ĕs'/ · Pro·fess · IPA /pɹəˈfɛs/
01 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.
imp. & p. p. Professed; p. pr. & vb. n. Professing
  1. 1.
    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.
    “The best and wisest of them all professed To know this only, that he nothing knew.” Milton.
  2. 2.
    To set up a claim to; to make presence to; hence, to put on or present an appearance of.
    “I do profess to be no less than I seem.” Shak.
  3. 3.
    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.
02 v. i. To take a profession upon one's self by a public declaration; to confess.
  1. 1.
    To take a profession upon one's self by a public declaration; to confess.
  2. 2.
    To declare friendship.[Obs.]