Professing

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Profess \Pro*fess"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Professed}; p. pr. &
     vb. n. {Professing}.] [F. prof[`e]s, masc., professe, fem.,
     professed (monk or nun), L. professus, p. p. of profiteri to
     profess; pro before, forward + fateri to confess, own. See
     {Confess}.]
     [1913 Webster]


     1. To make open declaration of, as of one's knowledge,
        belief, action, etc.; to avow or acknowledge; to confess
        publicly; to own or admit freely. "Hear me profess
        sincerely." --Shak.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              The best and wisest of them all professed
              To know this only, that he nothing knew. --Milton.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. To set up a claim to; to make presence to; hence, to put
        on or present an appearance of.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              I do profess to be no less than I seem. --Shak.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. To present to knowledge of, to proclaim one's self versed
        in; to make one's self a teacher or practitioner of, to
        set up as an authority respecting; to declare (one's self
        to be such); as, he professes surgery; to profess one's
        self a physician.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  professing
       n : an open avowal (true or false) of some belief or opinion; "a
           profession of disagreement" [syn: {profession}]