profess

Word family

pro·fess /prəˈfes/ verb [transitiveT] formal

1 SAY/STATEto say that you do, are etc something, especially when it is not really true 自称；〔尤指〕伪称，妄称

profess to do/be something

The government professes to care about the poor.

政府自称关心穷人。

He professed to be an expert on Islamic art.

他自称是伊斯兰艺术的专家。

2 profess your innocence formal to say that you did not do something bad, especially a crime 声称自己无辜

In court, the man was still professing his innocence.

在法庭上，该男子仍称自己是无辜的。

Examples from the Corpus

profess your innocence• If they can come to a binding agreement, the prisoners will both profess their innocence and be sentenced to two years.

3 OPINIONto state a personal feeling or belief openly 声称，公开表明〔个人感情或看法〕

He finally made up his mind to profess his love for her.

他最终下定决心对她表白。

profess yourself (to be) something

He professed himself satisfied with the results.

他对结果表示满意。

4 RRRELIGIONto have a religion or belief 信仰〔某宗教〕；具有…信仰

Matt professed no religion.

马特不信教。

Examples from the Corpus

profess• She was not then perpetually professed.• In Mexico, ninety percent of the people profess Catholicism.• While Norm professed dismay with his thievery, he always kept what Benjy brought him.• Speaking softly, Prucell professed her dislike of giving interviews.• Lewis professed his innocence.• For months, Derek had wanted to profess his love for Beth.• Often she will be able to sleep with rising superstars and juvenile celebrities who will profess love but never contemplate marrying her.• It professes no particular architectural creed; it belongs to no recognisable school of design.• He professed to be mates with all the Revie team now as then.• She professed to have been a cook in a house where I was once governess.• What they did not profess to understand was how it could be terminated.

profess to do/be something• The writer professed to be church-going, happily married, to have a large house and be infatuated with young children.• No matter that the campaign is over, and that they also profess to be determined to balance the budget.• He professed to be mates with all the Revie team now as then.• Men did though, even men who professed to be shy.• But the Republican professed to be unconcerned by surveys.• Whether in denial or putting on a brave face, the delegates professed to be unperturbed by those numbers.• Dunlop professed to be well satisfied with the outcome but the dispute had probably left his business irretrievably damaged.

profess yourself (to be) something• In the developed world, most nations professed themselves deeply concerned about low fertility rates.

Origin profess

(1400-1500) Latin professus, past participle of profiteri “to profess, confess”

pro·fess verb

Chinese

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Corpus