pro·fess /prəˈfɛs, pro-/
 (vt.)聲稱,以…為業,偽稱,講授(vi.)表白,承認,當教授
 Pro·fess v. t. [imp. & p. p. Professed p. pr. & vb. n. Professing.]
 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.”
 The best and wisest of them all professed
 To know this only, that he nothing knew.   --Milton.
 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. 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.
 Pro·fess v. i.
 1. To take a profession upon one's self by a public declaration; to confess.
 2. To declare friendship. [Obs.]
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 profess
      v 1: practice as a profession, teach, or claim to be
           knowledgeable about; "She professes organic chemistry"
      2: confess one's faith in, or allegiance to; "The terrorists
         professed allegiance to the Muslim faith"; "he professes
         to be a Communist"
      3: admit, make a clean breast of; "She confessed that she had
         taken the money" [syn: concede, confess]
      4: state freely; "The teacher professed that he was not
         generous when it came to giving good grades"
      5: receive into a religious order or congregation
      6: take vows, as in religious order; "she professed herself as
         a nun"
      7: 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"
         [syn: pretend]