Search the Dictionary

alling; 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.

The following of a profession, sport, etc., as an occupation; - - opposed to Ant: amateurism.

professional person. [R.]

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

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

Not belonging to a profession; not done by, or proceeding from, professional men; contrary to professional usage.

ions: by acuteness of intellect, we discern nice distinctions. Perhaps, also, he felt his professional acuteness interested in bringing it to a successful close. Sir W. Scott.

one; matter; concern; as, a difficult affair to manage; business of any kind, commercial, professional, or public; -- often in the plural. "At the head of affairs." Junius. "A talent for affairs." Prescott.

; esp. one who cultivates any study or art, from taste or attachment, without pursuing it professionally.

a vast multitude; a host. An army of good words. Shak. Standing army, a permanent army of professional soldiers, as distinguished from militia or volunteers.

. Every candid critic would be ashamed to cast wholesale aspersions on the entire body of professional teachers. Grote. Who would by base aspersions blot thy virtue. Dryden.

To go or stay with, as a companion, nurse, or servant; to visit professionally, as a physician; to accompany or follow in order to do service; to escort; to wait on; to serve. The fifth had charge sick persons to attend. Spenser. Attends the emperor in his royal court. Shak. With a sore heart and a gloomy brow, he prep…

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.

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.

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.

A female professional singer.

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…

One who gives advice, especially in legal matters; one professionally engaged in the trial or management of a cause in court; also, collectively, the legal advocates united in the management of a case; as, the defendant has able counsel. The King found his counsel as refractory as his judges. Macaulay.…

An advocate or professional pleader; one who counted for his client, that is, orally pleaded his cause. [Obs.] Burrill.

a professional female dancer; a woman who dances at a public exhibition as in a ballet.