practice as a profession, teach, or claim to be knowledgeable about; She professes organic chemistry'

confess one's faith in, or allegiance to; The terrorists professed allegiance to their country; he professes to be a Communist'

admit (to a wrongdoing); She confessed that she had taken the money

[ Syn: concede , confess ]

state freely; The teacher professed that he was not generous when it came to giving good grades'

receive into a religious order or congregation

take vows, as in religious order; she professed herself as a nun'

state insincerely; He professed innocence but later admitted his guilt; She pretended not to have known the suicide bomber; She pretends to be an expert on wine

[ Syn: pretend ]