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Special or temporary character; profession; occupation; assumed or asserted rank, part, or position. I made that inquiry in quality of an antiquary. Gray.

A follower of Pierre Ramé, better known as Ramus, a celebrated French scholar, who was professor of rhetoric and philosophy at Paris in the reign of Henry II., and opposed the Aristotelians.

Acknowledgment of a person or thing; avowal; profession; recognition.

Of or pertaining to a king; royal. Regius professor, an incumbent of a professorship founded by royal bounty, as in an English university.

xpression of human love, fear, or awe of some superhuman and overruling power, whether by profession of belief, by observance of rites and ceremonies, or by the conduct of life; a system of faith and worship; a manifestation of piety; as, ethical religions; monotheistic religions; natural religion; revealed religion; t…

Relating to religion; pious; as, religionary professions. [Obs.]

one who examines publications critically, and publishes his opinion upon their merits; a professional critic of books.

Anciently, one who recited or composed a rhapsody; especially, one whose profession was to recite the verses of Hormer and other epic poets.

Of or pertaining to the Roman Catholic religion; professing that religion.

conduct, skill, and the like. "Mine ancestors were rude." Chaucer. He was but rude in the profession of arms. Sir H. Wotton. the rude forefathers of the hamlet sleep. Gray.

the rules governing a school; a rule of etiquette or propriety; the rules of cricket. We profess to have embraced a religion which contains the most exact rules for the government of our lives. Tillotson.

t or furtherance of anything by authority to it; confirmation; approbation. The strictest professors of reason have added the sanction of their testimony. I. Watts.

A professional writer; one whose occupation is to draw contracts or prepare writings. Shak. The writer better scrivener than clerk. Fuller.

One of a small heterogeneous sect of the 17th century, in Great Britain, who professed to be seeking the true church, ministry, and sacraments. A skeptic [is] ever seeking and never finds, like our new upstart sect of Seekers. Bullokar.

Belonging to the final year of the regular course in American colleges, or in professional schools.

A professed lover or suitor; a gallant. [Obs.] In my time a servant was I one. Chaucer. Servant of servants, one debased to the lowest condition of servitude. -- Your humble servant, or Your obedient servant, phrases of civility often used in closing a letter. Our betters tell us they are our humble servants, but unde…

To be suitor to; to profess love to. [Obs.] To serve a lady in his beste wise. Chaucer.

Profession of respect; acknowledgment of duty owed. "Pray, do my service to his majesty." Shak.

in business or a scheme of life; as, to set up in trade; to set up for one's self. (b) To profess openly; to make pretensions. Those men who set up for mortality without regard to religion, are generally but virtuous in part. Swift.

To be established in an employment or profession; as, to settle in the practice of law.