Profess Meaning
/pɹəˈfɛs/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
verbTo administer the vows of a religious order to (someone); to admit to a religious order.
verbTo declare oneself (to be something).
Sentence Examples
I do profess to be no less than I seem.
Fadil wrote Layla a poem to profess his love.
CEFR Practice Quiz
Despite his doubts, he chose to ____ his undying love for her in front of everyone.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
She did not ____ to be an expert but offered her observations based on years of experience.
Word Origin & History
From Old French professer, and its source, the participle stem of Latin profitērī, from pro- + fatērī (“to confess, acknowledge”).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"This swayed the balance decisively in Mary's favour, and she was professed on 8 September 1578."
— 2000, Butler's Lives of the Saints, page 118:
"Kiefer professes himself amused by the fuss that ensued when he announced that he was buying the Mülheim-Kärlich reactor[…]."
— 2011 December 9, Alex Needham, “Anselm Kiefer: ‘Art is difficult, it's not entertainment’”, in The Guardian:
"He professes to haue receiued no sinister measure from his Iudge, but most willingly humbles himselfe to the determination of Iustice[…]."
— c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Measure for Measure”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i]:
"The best and wisest of them all professed / To know this only, that he nothing knew."
— 1671, John Milton, “(please specify the page)”, in Paradise Regain’d. A Poem. In IV Books. To which is Added, Samson Agonistes, London: […] J[ohn] M[acock] for John Starkey […], →OCLC:
"The guard was paying no attention whatever to the running of his train, in total disregard of rules, and, as the recently-published report of a Ministry of Transport Inspecting Officer of Railways shows, there were other disquieting features in the case, such as ignorance on the part of responsible men of rules and appendix instructions and a lax attitude to regulations of which they professed to be aware, combined with failure to look at staff notice boards."
— 1956 September, “Notes and News: The Barby Sidings Accident Report”, in Railway Magazine, page 638:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
Despite his doubts, he chose to ____ his undying love for her in front of everyone.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
She did not ____ to be an expert but offered her observations based on years of experience.