-profs-

v. i. & i. To be, or to cause to be, without profit or benefit. [ Obs. or Archaic ] Bale. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Loss; damage. Foxe. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Unprofitable. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Foreign to a profession; not within the ordinary limits of professional duty or business. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medicine used to relieve the pain of arthritis and as an analgesic and antipyretic; Advil and Motrin and Nuprin are trademarks of brands of ibuprofen tablets.
Syn. -- isobutylphenyl propionic acid, Advil, Motrin, Nuprin. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

{ } n. Lack of proficiency. [ R. ] Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Pref. im- not + profitable: cf. F. improfitable. ] Unprofitable. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To make a false profession; to make pretensions to skill which is not possessed. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To make a false profession of. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Not belonging to a profession. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Not done by, or proceeding from, professional men; contrary to professional usage; unprofessional. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

n. Want of proficiency; failure to make progress. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who has failed to become proficient. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Not proficient. [ PJC ]

adj. not commercially motivated; not profit-making; nonprofit; not for profit. [ Narrower terms: charitable, eleemosynary ]
Syn. -- nonprofit. [ WordNet 1.5 +PJC ]

interj. [ OF. prou face, prou fasse; prou profit + faire to make, do. ] Much good may it do you! -- a familiar salutation or welcome. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Master page, good master page, sit. Proface! Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To profane. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. profanatio: cf. F. profanation. See Profane, v. t. ] 1. The act of violating sacred things, or of treating them with contempt or irreverence; irreverent or too familiar treatment or use of what is sacred; desecration; as, the profanation of the Sabbath; the profanation of a sanctuary; the profanation of the name of God. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The act of treating with abuse or disrespect, or with undue publicity, or lack of delicacy. [ 1913 Webster ]

'T were profanation of our joys
To tell the laity our love. Donne. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ F., fr. L. profanus, properly, before the temple, i. e., without the temple, unholy; pro before + fanum temple. See 1st Fane. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. Not sacred or holy; not possessing peculiar sanctity; unconsecrated; hence, relating to matters other than sacred; secular; -- opposed to sacred, religious, or inspired; as, a profane place. “Profane authors.” I. Disraeli. [ 1913 Webster ]

The profane wreath was suspended before the shrine. Gibbon. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Unclean; impure; polluted; unholy. [ 1913 Webster ]

Nothing is profane that serveth to holy things. Sir W. Raleigh. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Treating sacred things with contempt, disrespect, irreverence, or undue familiarity; irreverent; impious. Hence, specifically; Irreverent in language; taking the name of God in vain; given to swearing; blasphemous; as, a profane person, word, oath, or tongue. 1 Tim. i. 9. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Secular; temporal; worldly; unsanctified; unhallowed; unholy; irreligious; irreverent; ungodly; wicked; godless; impious. See Impious. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Profaned p. pr. & vb. n. Profaning. ] [ L. profanare: cf. F. profaner. See Profane, a. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. To violate, as anything sacred; to treat with abuse, irreverence, obloquy, or contempt; to desecrate; to pollute; as, to profane the name of God; to profane the Scriptures, or the ordinance of God. [ 1913 Webster ]

The priests in the temple profane the sabbath. Matt. xii. 5. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To put to a wrong or unworthy use; to make a base employment of; to debase; to abuse; to defile. [ 1913 Webster ]

So idly to profane the precious time. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a profane manner. [ 1913 Webster ]

The character of God profanely impeached. Dr. T. Dwight. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality or state of being profane; especially, the use of profane language. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who treats sacred things with irreverence, or defiles what is holy; one who uses profane language. Hooker. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. profanitas. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. The quality or state of being profane; profaneness; irreverence; esp., the use of profane language; blasphemy. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. That which is profane; profane language or acts. [ 1913 Webster ]

The brisk interchange of profanity and folly. Buckminster. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ See Proficient. ] A setting out; a going forward; advance; progression. [ Obs. ] Sir T. Browne. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. profectitius, fr. proficisci to set out, proceed. ] Proceeding from, as from a parent; derived, as from an ancestor. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

The threefold distinction of profectitious, adventitious, and professional was ascertained. Gibbon. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L., he brings forward, 3d pers. pr. of proferre. See Proffer. ] (Law) The exhibition or production of a record or paper in open court, or an allegation that it is in court. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Professed p. pr. & vb. n. Professing. ] [ F. profès, masc., professe, fem., professed (monk or nun), L. professus, p. p. of profiteri to profess; pro before, forward + fateri to confess, own. See Confess. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

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. “Hear me profess sincerely.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

The best and wisest of them all professed
To know this only, that he nothing knew. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To set up a claim to; to make presence to; hence, to put on or present an appearance of. [ 1913 Webster ]

I do profess to be no less than I seem. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. 1. To take a profession upon one's self by a public declaration; to confess. Drayton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To declare friendship. [ Obs. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Openly declared, avowed, acknowledged, or claimed; as, a professed foe; a professed tyrant; a professed Christian. [ 1913 Webster ]

The professed (R. C. Ch.) , a certain class among the Jesuits bound by a special vow. See the note under Jesuit. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. By profession. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F., fr. L. professio. See Profess, v. ] 1. The act of professing or claiming; open declaration; public avowal or acknowledgment; as, professions of friendship; a profession of faith. [ 1913 Webster ]

A solemn vow, promise, and profession. Bk. of Com. Prayer. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. That which one professed; a declaration; an avowal; a claim; as, his professions are insincere. [ 1913 Webster ]

The Indians quickly perceive the coincidence or the contradiction between professions and conduct. J. Morse. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. That of which one professed knowledge; the occupation, if not mechanical, agricultural, or the like, to which one devotes one's self; the business which one professes to understand, and to follow for subsistence; calling; vocation; employment; as, the profession of arms; the profession of a clergyman, lawyer, or physician; the profession of lecturer on chemistry. [ 1913 Webster ]

Hi tried five or six professions in turn. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The three professions, or learned professions, are, especially, theology, law, and medicine. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. The collective body of persons engaged in a calling; as, the profession distrust him. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. (Eccl. Law.) The act of entering, or becoming a member of, a religious order. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Of or pertaining to a profession, or calling; conforming to the rules or standards of a profession; following a profession; as, professional knowledge; professional conduct. “Pride, not personal, but professional.” Macaulay. “A professional sneerer.” De Quincey. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Engaged in by professionals; as, a professional race; -- opposed to amateur. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A person who prosecutes anything professionally, or for a livelihood, and not in the character of an amateur; a professional worker. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The following of a profession, sport, etc., as an occupation; -- opposed to amateurism. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. professional person. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a professional manner or capacity; by profession or calling; in the exercise of one's profession; one employed professionally. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L., a teacher, a public teacher: cf. F. professeur. See Profess. ] 1. One who professed, or makes open declaration of, his sentiments or opinions; especially, one who makes a public avowal of his belief in the Scriptures and his faith in Christ, and thus unites himself to the visible church. “Professors of religion.” Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. One who professed, or publicly teaches, any science or branch of learning; especially, an officer in a university, college, or other seminary, whose business it is to read lectures, or instruct students, in a particular branch of learning; as a professor of theology, of botany, of mathematics, or of political economy. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. professorius: cf. F. professorial. ] Of or pertaining to a professor; as, the professional chair; professional interest. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The character, manners, or habits of a professor. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. See Professoriate. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. The body of professors, or the professorial staff, in a university or college. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A professorship. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The office or position of a professor, or public teacher. Walton. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. professorius. ] Of or pertaining to a professor; professorial. [ R. ] Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Proffered p. pr. & vb. n. Proffering. ] [ OE. profren, proferen, F. proférer, fr. L. proferre to bring forth or forward, to offer; pro forward + ferre to bring. See Bear to produce. ] 1. To offer for acceptance; to propose to give; to make a tender of; as, to proffer a gift; to proffer services; to proffer friendship. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

I reck not what wrong that thou me profre. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To essay or attempt of one's own accord; to undertake, or propose to undertake. [ R. ] Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. An offer made; something proposed for acceptance by another; a tender; as, proffers of peace or friendship. [ 1913 Webster ]

He made a proffer to lay down his commission. Clarendon. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Essay; attempt. [ R. ] Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who proffers something. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ , n. The quality of state of being proficient; advance in the acquisition of any art, science, or knowledge; progression in knowledge; improvement; adeptness; as, to acquire proficiency in music. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. proficiens, -entis, p. pr. of proficere to go forward, make progress; pro forward + facere to make. See Fact, and cf. Profit, (&unr_;) ] One who has made considerable advances in any business, art, science, or branch of learning; an expert; an adept; as, proficient in a trade; a proficient in mathematics, music, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]