Search the Dictionary

(R. C. Ch.), a saint regarded as the peculiar protector of a country, community, church, profession, etc., or of an individual.

A walker; one who journeys on foot; a foot traveler; specif., a professional walker or runner.

small pittance of learning they received." Swift. The inconsiderable pittance of faithful professors. Fuller.

Drudging; servile. [Colloq.] Bred to some poking profession. Gray.

Of or pertaining to polytheism; characterized by polytheism; professing or advocating polytheism; as, polytheistic worship; a polytheistic author, or nation. -- Pol`y*the*is"tic*al*ly, adv.

multitude, -- comprehending all persons not distinguished by rank, office, education, or profession. Pope. To . . . calm the peers and please the populace. Daniel. They . . . call us Britain's barbarous populaces. Tennyson.

Application of science to the wants of men; the exercise of any profession; professional business; as, the practice of medicine or law; a large or lucrative practice. Practice is exercise of an art, or the application of a science in life, which application is itself an art. Sir W. Hamilton.

One who exercises a profession; a practitioner.

One who is engaged in the actual use or exercise of any art or profession, particularly that of law or medicine. Crabbe.

The doctrine or practice of a school of modern painters who profess to be followers of the painters before Raphael. Its adherents advocate careful study from nature, delicacy and minuteness of workmanship, and an exalted and delicate conception of the subject.

To hold out the appearance of being, possessing, or performing; to profess; to make believe; to feign; to sham; as, to pretend to be asleep. "[He] pretended to drink the waters." Macaulay.

emphatic than very; as, I am pretty sure of the fact; pretty cold weather. Pretty plainly professes himself a sincere Christian. Atterbury.

The chief of any body of men; one at the head of a class or profession; one who is preëminent; as, a merchant prince; a prince of players. "The prince of learning." Peacham. Prince-Albert coat, a long double-breasted frock coat for men. -- Prince of the blood, Prince consort, Prince of darkness. See under Blood, Conso…

hysicans are placed in the same category, so far as concerns information received by them professionally.

e or wager. -- Prize fighter, one who fights publicly for a reward; -- applied esp. to a professional boxer or pugilist. Pope. -- Prize fighting, fighting, especially boxing, in public for a reward or wager. -- Prize master, an officer put in charge or command of a captured vessel. -- Prize medal, a medal given as…

, as from an ancestor. [R.] The threefold distinction of profectitious, adventitious, and professional was ascertained. Gibbon.

antageous; beneficial; as, a profitable trade; profitable business; a profitable study or profession. What was so profitable to the empire became fatal to the emperor. Arbuthnot. -- Prof"it*a*ble*ness, n. -- Prof"it*a*bly, adv.

rved goods and effects to himself, notwithstanding his renunciation of all at the time of profession.

One who makes dissections for anatomical illustration; usually, the assistant of a professional anatomist.

One who fights with his fists; esp., a professional prize fighter; a boxer.