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The whole body of lawyers licensed in a court or district; the legal profession.

A professional poet and singer, as among the ancient Celts, whose occupation was to compose and sing verses in honor of the heroic achievements of princes and brave men.

The stage in a theater; as, to go upon the boards, to enter upon the theatrical profession.

A daring villain; a bandit; one who sets law at defiance; a professional assassin or murderer. Safe from detection, seize the unwary prey. And stab, like bravoes, all who come this way. Churchill.

One related or closely united to another by some common tie or interest, as of rank, profession, membership in a society, toil, suffering, etc.; -- used among judges, clergymen, monks, physicians, lawers, professors of religion, etc. "A brother of your order." Shak. We few, we happy few, we band of brothers, For he to-…

The whole body of persons engaged in the same business, -- especially those of the same profession; as, the legal or medical brotherhood.

from the apparent incongruity between the dictatorial nature of the pope's bulls and his professions of humility. And whereas the papist boasts himself to be a Roman Catholic, it is a mere contradiction, one of the pope's bulls, as if he should say universal particular; a Catholic schimatic. Milton. The Golden Bull, a…

A clumsy, awkward workman; one who bungles. If to be a dunce or a bungler in any profession be shameful, how much more ignominious and infamous to a scholar to be such! Barrow.

upation or employment engaged in for livelihood or gain, as agriculture, trade, art, or a profession. "The business of instruction." Prescott.

The persons, collectively, engaged in any particular professions or employment. To impose celibacy on wholy callings. Hammond.

prescribed by canon to be worn by a clergyman when oficiating. Sometimes, any distinctive professional dress. Full canonicals, the complete costume of an officiating clergyman or ecclesiastic.

and peculiarities of speech in any sect, class, or occupation. Goldsmith. The cant of any profession. Dryden.

A female professional singer.

Outward condition or circumstances; occupation; profession; character; position; as, to work in the capacity of a mason or a carpenter.

The profession of faith in Christ by baptism; hence, the Christian religion, or the adoption of it. [Obs.] Shak.

Learning; also, a learned profession. [Obs.] Sophictry . . . rhetoric, and other cleargy. Guy of Warwick. Put their second sons to learn some clergy. State Papers (1515).

The distinctive dress of any profession, especially of the clergy; hence, the clerical profession. Appeals were made to the priesthood. Would they tamely permit so gross an insult to be offered to their cloth Macaulay. The cloth, the clergy, are constituted for administering and for giving the best possible effect to .…

elating to one subject; as, the medical code, a system of rules for the regulation of the professional conduct of physicians; the naval code, a system of rules for making communications at sea means of signals. Code civil or Code Napoleon, a code enacted in France in 1803 and 1804, embodying the law of rights of person…

nt; harmonious; consonant. Were every one employed in points concordant to their natures, professions, and arts, commonwealths would rise up of themselves. Sir T. Browne

Acknowledgment of belief; profession of one's faith. With the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Rom. x. 10.